The Temple

by Heather Marie Adkins

  “This is why you’ve been leaving? To find this cat?” I motioned to the lovingly carved statue, limping forward until I stood before him.

  He lifted his head and gazed up at me through teary, bloodshot eyes. Had he even been to sleep recently? “No, not just this cat. Thirteen idols. I’ve found them all. Not the way I imagined I’d see the world.”

  “And these idols will summon the goddess.” No question. I wanted to trust him.

  Nodding, he tapped the little cat on its head. “Placed in the correct position, yes, that’s the legend. You didn’t think this temple sat here just to showcase fancy statues and provide employment for super powered people, did you?” His wry smile showed me the Brett I wanted to spend the rest of my life believing.

  I knew there was only one thing I could do. It came to me suddenly, no bells or whistles, no light bulb. Just calm acceptance. Stepping up beside him, I placed a palm on the door and ventured inside, searching for the catch like I’d done the night Melissa was hurt. Only this time, it was more than just one life on the line. It was every life that was going to be taken if the Hunt wasn’t stopped.

  The click of the lock releasing startled both of us. His face shot up to me, his eyes wide in confusion and anticipation. “What are you doing?”

  “Throwing away my job,” I joked, laughing. In a move so fast I didn’t see it coming, he was standing, his arms twining around me, pulling me to the heat of his body like I belonged there. I pressed my face to his shirt, breathing in his scent, knowing I was doing the only thing I could. I pulled away. “You came to save my life. You trusted me when I told you Melissa was in trouble, and that Jordan was behind it. It would be bitchy of me not to trust you when you need me the most,” I told him simply.

  His lips tasted like sweat and chocolate. I allowed myself to drown in the feel of them on mine, his hands leaving traces of fire on my back where they slipped to the skin beneath my tank top. When he pulled away, I grasped his shirt. “I hope you’re right about this and we’re not about to end the world.”

  The first sounds of the Hunt could be heard in the distance. The windows in the square tower of the temple were still open, and I could barely see the storm, the roiling black hole of arms, hounds, and screams. My body began to shake with terror, remembering Amelia’s story.

  I trusted him.

  I gazed at the three goddesses, sitting watchfully before us, and prayed.

  Brett pressed his forehead to mine, sweeping strands of my hair back. “She’ll help us. I know she will.”

  With his unwavering faith like a shroud around me, I stepped back to let him open the door.

  The dim light fell over us, the door silently sliding on its hinges to rest against the wall. The small space was filled with light that came internally from each of the twelve idols sitting in their marked niches in the walls. The thirteenth spot hung empty in the stone, carved beneath it the crescent moon-full moon-crescent moon symbol I’d come to associate with the goddess. Reverently, Brett passed off the idol to me and grabbed the step ladder, dragging it to the space below.

  I studied the little statue we were placing all our hopes on. It was cool to the touch, cooler than the temperature of the Temple. I traced the curve of its jaw, touched one small paw, and I felt tears come to my eyes. Goddess, please be real. Please let this stop. I thought of Melissa, so full of vibrancy and friendship, now lying lonely and indefinitely asleep, and I thought of Brett’s little brother, too young to die, and I knew that it was imperative no one else know the terror.

  Once on the ladder, he turned and held out a hand. “Are you ready?”

  I didn’t give it a thought; I just placed our last hope in his grasp.

  The light was blinding. It burst from the cat’s niche in a shower of sparks and my vision lapsed. We were thrown from the idol room, skidding halfway across the central cavern. The shock of my butt hitting the floor reverberated through my battered body, my bones protested in agony. I heard the yell of pain that came from me, but I wasn’t aware of making it.

  When the light faded, my vision returned slowly, dots fading at the edges. Brett was already crawling to my side, his hands tentative on my body. “Are you okay?” I realized then all the lights in the Temple had blown. Except for the one above us, illuminating Cerridwen.

  “I’m fine, just won’t be doing jumping jacks anytime soon,” I answered, letting him help me gingerly to my feet. He slid an arm under mine, firmly clamping to my hip, supporting me against him.

  “You’re already a wreck, I’d kill myself if I’d caused you further pain,” he whispered against my temple, pressing a kiss to my skin.

  A throat clearing above our heads shook me out of the aches. As one, we lifted our faces to Cerridwen, sitting very much alive before us.

  Chapter 29

  It was a nice vessel.

  She lifted an arm and brought it back to Her side to rest upon the stone, rolling Her shoulders luxuriously. Waiting a few seconds for Her eye sight to adjust was a must. Going from non-corporeal, super-vision, know-all, see-all, blah blah blah, was always an issue. Her true eyes saw everything—earthly eyes were limited.

  It was awfully dark, and for a moment, She worried the vessel was damaged.

  Four hundred years before, someone had called Her during battle, and the vessel had no face. What good was a physical form when it could not be used? She wrinkled her brow, trying to remember what She had done to the infidel who had called Her then. He was probably one of Loki’s now. That was usually where She put the ones who made Her angry.

  Once She adjusted, She noticed the bedraggled pair on the floor before Her, clasped to each other and completely oblivious. A wide smile crossed Her face as She took in their shared auras, the emerald green of the girl’s mingling with the royal purple of the boy’s. She loved seeing soulmates find each other. She cleared Her throat.

  Oh! She thought as their faces came into view, eyes startled. Not just soulmates! The soulmates! Fighting to maintain Her stern countenance, She was inwardly rejoicing. It was all playing out just as perfectly as She had predicted not so many years previous. She felt a wave of maternal longing as She gazed upon Her daughter’s face for the first time outside of the astral world.

  “Why did you summon me?” She felt remorse as they cringed at Her unearthly voice, and realized She needed to tone it down. Wasn’t that what they said nowadays? It was hard to keep track of the changing times, because time certainly changed so differently for Her.

  The man stepped forward, using an arm to push the woman behind him. Inwardly the Goddess cooed at his show of bravery, but laughed out loud as She knew if She was there to smite, he couldn’t save anyone. “Mother,” he said breathlessly, and She glowed under his reverence.

  “Oh my Goddess,” the young woman whispered, dropping to her already injured knees before Her. The Goddess felt her pain as if it were Her own.

  “Oh, would you get up? Let me do something about those injuries of yours,” She chided, standing on Her altar, and stepping gingerly down to the floor. Her footsteps shook the walls of Her temple. Crouching before Her daughter, the Goddess gave the girl a bright smile. “It’s been so long since I left you in that glade, wrapped in a blanket sewn of moonbeams. I understand you liked the parents I chose for you?”

  Chapter 30

  I stared stupidly at the figure now seated Indian style on the floor before me, Her stone body suddenly skin and cloth and hair. I tried really hard to see the stone statue, but it was hidden under the Goddess’ vibrancy. I was face to face with the woman who visited my dreams. “You?”

  Cerridwen gave me a mischievous grin, and reached out to put a large hand on my head. Even seated She was still massive. Her touch brought warmth down my body, and I felt the aches leave, my knee mending with a pop of bone. She ripped off the cast on my wrist like it was a Band-Aid. I flexed my hand and twisted my wrist, testing it out. Good as new.

  “Of course, child, from where did you expect to hail?” The
combination of Old World speak and modern slang was throwing me. Her black eyes twinkled merrily, searching my face as I stared dumbly up at Her.

  “Some couple who couldn’t keep me,” I answered truthfully. Brett’s hand on my shoulder anchored me. A shudder ripped through me when I could hear the Hunt screaming outside.

  “I couldn’t keep you,” the Goddess answered ruefully with a sigh, straightening my top and tucking my hair behind an ear lovingly. “You had a destiny on earth. I couldn’t keep you from it.”

  The silence stretched between us, my mind awhirl with new information. Brett finally cleared his throat, stepping forward until he drew up beside me. The Goddess cocked Her head curiously in his direction. “You collected my idols from the corners of the earth and brought me here. Why?”

  “The Wild Hunt is here,” he answered, his voice calmer and quieter than I expected. “Are you aware of what has been happening in England?”

  “I’m omnipotent, not perfect. Tell me.” She rested Her chin on one hand, her elbow cocked upon a knee as Brett gave Her an abbreviated version of the Wild Hunt’s devastation. I couldn’t help but stare, my fingers itching to touch Her skin.

  I had to stifle a laugh as She rolled Her green eyes when he finished. “That man. Give him an inch, he takes a mile. Let me go take care of this, I’ve only got a little time.”

  Standing, She craned her neck to peer out the tower windows. “You might want to close your ears.” Without a debate, Brett and I clapped both hands over both ears. I could still hear the crash of the windows breaking, and Her yell. “Drake! Get your ass down here, now!”

  I exchanged an amused look with my boyfriend.

  A galloping horse heralded the arrival of the leader of the Wild Hunt. I heard his dismount, his heavy boots slapping the stones outside the front door. The Goddess waved a hand, and the door whipped open, the wind slamming it to the wall. A sheepish man, huge, hairy, and with angry horns on his head entered, tucking a helmet under his arm. Furs and hides covered his body, and a big, black beard his face.

  “Your Divine Beauty,” he growled, dropping to his knees at Cerridwen’s feet. She took a seated position to face him, tucking Her skirt around Her shapely legs.

  “Don’t suck up to me, Sir Francis, explain your actions. I gave you a job and you did well while I worked with you. What the hell were you thinking? I turned my back only a moment and you betrayed me.”

  He bowed his head even lower, channeling abused dog. “Power, your wondrous grace.”

  “I could strip you bare until not a power remained,” She hissed, Her eyes turning red, and Her face thinning until Her cheeks were dark and sunken. She was terrifying. My heart stopped beating and goose bumps spread across my body. I involuntarily stepped away from Her, pressing against the warmth of Brett behind me.

  Sir Francis fell facedown to the floor, limbs splayed, prostrate; he was a pile of animal fur on the stones. “Your Most Holiest Avenger, I am humble.”

  Cerridwen sat back on Her hands, regarding him as a kindergartener regards a bug. “Do you wish to keep your title as King of the Hunt?”

  “Yes, m’am,” he sobbed into the floor. It was like watching a pro wrestler cry. I didn’t know whether to laugh or run screaming.

  “Do you recognize the fact that your name, Sir Francis Drake, has gone down in history solely because of my efforts on your behalf against those arrogant Spanish idiots?”

  “My Goddess!” Drake cried, his booming voice echoing from all four walls.

  “You will release every innocent soul in the Hunt so they may join me and journey to the next life. You will report to me every Monday until the end of time, and I will take inventory of everyone riding with you. If you take another innocent soul, I will give you to Hades. He is not at his best during the dark of the year. Are we clear?”

  “Yes, my mother,” he answered, sniffling as he turned his head to look Her in the eye, cheek still pressed to the floor. It looked terribly uncomfortable.

  “Get out of my sight.”

  The three of us watched him depart, listening to him mount his horse and take off into the night. A moment later, a big smile crossed the Goddess’ face. “Ah, there we are, good as new.” Getting to Her feet, She climbed back up to take Her seat. “I must be going now. There’s only so much I can do, you understand. A young girl in Tahiti is about to need me, and I must answer.”

  “My brother?” Brett choked out, his hand jerking in mine.

  The Goddess smiled knowingly, and looked over at me. “Vale, child, when was the last time you experienced your monthlies? I would recommend you visit a doctor soon.”

  Comprehension dawned on both of us as the stone began to return to Her feet. It traveled silently up Her body. Before it reached Her head, She smiled fondly down at us. “I love you, children. Do me proud.”

  Chapter 31

  “We aren’t making it up,” I told my boss, barely able to hold my head upright. I was exhausted. When my thoughts were beginning to fragment, it was time to go home. Brett and I leaned against the base beneath the feet of the goddess statues where we had been for hours, repeating our unbelievable story to Edward. In the corner, Nikolas was being administered to by a paramedic, having already received a thorough apology from Brett for his overreaction.

  “No, no, I didn’t say you were,” Edward answered thoughtfully. He rocked to his tip toes, eyes amused. “I heard the Hunt stop at just after midnight. We are out here walking around and not dying, and it’s only two. Something happened, I do agree.”

  Sick of repeating my story, I just nodded, and let my head rest on Brett’s warm shoulder. His arm snaked around me.

  Edward scanned the glass littering the floor, and the goddess Cerridwen, sitting just slightly different upon her throne than she had been. Something about the smirk on her face threw him. ”Ah, well, we needed new windows anyway,” Edward said, tucking his hands in his coat pockets and rocking back on his heels with a twinkle in his eye.

  I pushed myself to my feet, walking over to his side. “Edward, tell me something. What happened forty years ago when the Brewer sisters came to the temple?”

  A shawl of darkness seemed to drape over his blue eyes. “Ah, yes. I heard two girls had paid Miss Amelia a visit, only to leave her completely cured of any misfortune.” He quirked a smile at me. “Vale, that was a dark time for me. I was only a temple guard myself, then. Imagine my terror at hearing human voices outside during the hunt.” He sighed. “I was too late to save Alice, but Amelia returned safely home because I managed to avert the Hunt’s gaze. However, the temple was a tad beat up in the process. Does that answer your question?”

  As Brett came to stand beside me, his big hand sliding into mine, I nodded. “Yeah, Edward, that pretty much wraps it all up.”

  *********

  The phone woke me up at five a.m. I screamed with frustration into the darkness of my apartment and made to heave the cordless over the railing of the loft so it could crash into tiny pieces on the floor below. Brett reached out and gripped my hand, turning the caller ID screen towards me. It was the hospital.

  Macy called my name and came running, her bare feet sliding on the stairs as she thumped up them, obviously roused from sleep by my yell. Hunter followed in close pursuit, nails scrabbling for purchase on the hardwood. I felt a weird mixture of hope and terror as I pressed the answer button. “Hello?”

  “Ms. Avari? This is Tina at the Nurse’s station down at Quicksilver Medical. I was calling to let you know Melissa is awake. She’s asking for you.”

  I burst into tears, the phone falling from my numb hands. Brett, who’d heard the sounds of the receiver, thanked the nurse with a smile on his face, and hung up, tugging me into the circle of his arms. Macy sat on the other side of me, gently running her fingers through my hair. Hunter wagged his tail at our feet, and Addie clawed at my head. I was home, and everything was okay.

  Epilogue

  Opening the front door, I was met by the bright smiles of
my parents. Theresa looked amazing in her wool, red plaid slacks and what looked like a black turtleneck beneath her heavy down coat. Her blonde hair hung in a shiny curtain from beneath her “I Heart London” toboggan cap. Dane stood at her side in khaki cords, the collar of his denim button down sticking out awkwardly from his calf length black wool coat. Goddess forbid, he was wearing one of those hunting caps with the ear flaps.

  I threw myself at them with a girlish squeal and let their arms envelope me. The snow drifted down outside my door, coating the eight inches we’d gotten the day before with fresh dust. Hunter bounded out into the front yard and bounced around, nipping at the snow. “Get back inside!” I laughed at him, letting go of my parents to chase him back inside. He tracked snowy paw prints to the kitchen, where Brett was pulling the Ham and potato casserole from the oven.

  “We’ve got a couple bags to bring in,” Dane said, tugging off his glasses and wiping them absently on the shirt beneath his coat.

  “I’ll get their luggage, if you’ll mop the floor, love,” Brett said, dropping a kiss to the top of my head and ruffling my hair before going to greet Theresa and Dane. My father followed him out the door, and Theresa made her way over to me where I was pulling the mop from the pantry.

  She put both her hands on the barely-there bump already forming in my small abdomen, and gazed at me with tears in her eyes. “My baby is growing up and making her own family. Let me see the ring!”

  I lifted my left hand and let her examine the simple silver diamond Brett had purchased and surprised me with the day after the Wild Hunt was straightened out. We were getting married in a small ceremony at the coming weekend, after Christmas. We both looked up as Dane and Brett stumbled through the doorway, laden with bags and suitcases.

  “Mother,” I murmured, amused. “Please tell me that’s your luggage and you forgot that you are staying at Edward’s, not here. We don’t have the room, remember?”