“The wolf will be fine,” Bob said. “His heart is pure and strong. You live in the center of it. He will fret for a few minutes and then quiet.”
“You’re quite the humanitarian there, Bob,” I said. “I’m glad you’re worried about his emotional well-being.”
“His emotional health revolves around you,” Bob said, scratching his head and making me wonder whether bugs were crawling around in there. “As long as you survive he will thrive.”
“And how long am I going to survive?”
“That is entirely up to you, Zoe Lake.”
“Why do you keep saying my name like that?” I asked, genuinely curious. “It’s two names. Zoe and Lake. Zoe Lake is not one name.”
“The ways of this world when it comes to namings is not for me to judge,” Bob said.
“I’m starting to get bored,” I said. “How about you tell me why you brought me here and then … I don’t know … pop me back out so we can get on our way.”
“Is that what you want? Do you want to go back to your world?”
“I don’t have much of a choice,” I said. “I have parents to save and evil to smite.”
“Your fate does not have to be tied to this world, Zoe Lake,” Bob said. “You can pick any of thousands of worlds and settle in one of them if you wish.”
“I’m good.”
Bob arched an unruly eyebrow. “You’re good?”
“As long as I have my wolf and hot tub, I’m really set,” I said. “If you throw in good takeout, I have absolutely no complaints. Well, if you ask Aric he’ll say I still complain, but sometimes I think he confuses talking for complaining.”
“You don’t even want to ask me about these other worlds?” Bob appeared surprised.
“Not really,” I said. “I’ve never been one of those people driven by curiosity. I’ve never wanted to travel to the moon when I can look at it from my back yard. I’ve never wanted to explore oceans or mountains … .” I glanced around dubiously. “I’ve really never wanted to explore caves. Have you seen the movie Descent? Nothing good happens when you go into a cave.”
“You are the offspring of two mages,” Bob said. “You were never supposed to exist, and yet you do. Your power elevates you to a higher form of being. Do you not want to mingle with your own?”
“That sounds like a horrible idea,” I replied. “I hate hanging out with people I don’t know. I have a hard time bonding with others. I think I’ll stick with the people I’m already bonded with and leave the … world jumping … to others.”
“You are the lone member of your species here,” Bob said, his eyes thoughtful as he studied me. “Others like you exist in larger realms. You are not like them, though.”
“I’ve always wanted to be an original.”
“Don’t you want to know what you are?”
I shook my head. “I used to think I did,” I answered. “I used to think the most important thing in the world was learning about mages and finding where I belong. The thing is: I’ve already found where I belong. I belong here.”
“But you can be more than that.”
“Why?”
Bob furrowed his brow, confused. “Why what?”
“Why would I want to be more than I am?” I asked. “If what you’re saying is true, I’m unique here. I already knew that, but thanks for reaffirming it. There’s no one else like me. That doesn’t mean I’m dying to meet others like me. I think the world might implode if that happens.”
“You are a … riddle.”
“I’m not,” I argued. “I’m just a woman. I’m a tired woman, don’t get me wrong, but in the grand scheme of things I don’t want anything other than what I already have. I’m happy.”
“You don’t look happy.”
“Well, it has been a rough week,” I admitted. “First, my best friend showed up out of the blue and got us attacked by wolves. Then I thought my boyfriend didn’t want to marry me, but it turns out he was too afraid to ask.
“Then I thought my parents died in a fire,” I continued. “Someone tipped me off that wasn’t true – although now that I mention it, I have to wonder who sent the note – and then I found out my best friend betrayed me and wanted to use me to gain power.
“This has not been a great month,” I said.
“And yet you want to remain here.”
“There’s no place I would rather be than with Aric,” I said. “I don’t yearn for bigger and better things. I already have the best thing.”
Bob tilted his head to the side and listened as Aric called my name. “If you disappeared here, he would never stop looking for you.”
My heart rolled. Something about Bob’s demeanor bothered me. “I’m not disappearing here,” I warned him, extending my index finger and shaking it in his direction. “Don’t even think about taking me. I have a to-do list, and you’re not on it.”
“I have been watching you for a very long time,” Bob said, his face unreadable. “The power you expelled healing the wolf at your school called me to you. I watched from afar as you burned the evil woman and healed your heart. After that, I decided you could be something great.”
“Awesome.” I knew tossing sarcasm at the weird dude living in a cave beneath a fairy ring probably wasn’t the best course of action. I couldn’t help myself, though.
“Mages were gifts to this world,” Bob said. “They were meant to keep the balance of power from tipping in any one direction. It’s not merely bad when evil gets a foothold. Those who think they’re doing good can destroy a world just as easily as those who know they’re doing evil.”
“Are you a mage?”
“I am … something else,” Bob said. “I was present when mages came into existence, though. I have foreseen I will be there when they wink out of this world and move on to the next.”
“Are you a wizard? You kind of remind me of Dumbledore, although he bathed more frequently.”
“I am not a wizard,” Bob replied, ignoring or not understanding the joke. He didn’t have much of a sense of humor. “Your existence has been cause for … concern … for years. Your parents did an admirable job hiding you.”
“And that’s one of the reasons I have to get out of here,” I said. “They need me to rescue them. Then I’m going to have to find a way to buy them a new house, but that’s a problem for another day. Today I can only worry about one thing at a time.”
“Had we known about your existence when you were a child, we would have intervened,” Bob said. “We would have taken you then. Because you were already an adult – albeit a conflicted one – when we discovered you, we decided to conduct an experiment.”
“How did I do?”
“That is not for me to judge,” Bob replied. “I will say you have shown tenacity in the face of oppression numerous times, and you always emerge the victor. That says something about you.”
“Yeah, I’m a really poor loser.”
“Life is never going to be easy for you, Zoe Lake,” Bob said. “If this is the path you choose, though, I am willing to … help.”
I perked up. “Seriously? What can you do?”
“I can even the odds,” Bob said. “You face an army of wolves and witches when you get to your destination. Do not go there tonight. I know you don’t like people issuing you orders, but it is important that you stay protected in the fairy ring until dawn rises. Do you understand?”
“I’ve got it,” I said, nodding. “What can you tell me about this book? Can Quinn steal my powers with it?”
“Quinn Redford is unique here as well,” Bob replied. “He is not as powerful as you, although he is more focused and his training is far more extensive. He cannot steal your powers because he doesn’t have the strength in his blood to carry them.
“What Quinn doesn’t understand is that you were bred to be great,” he continued. “He is nothing more than a human who wants power. He will not get it from you, although that won’t stop him from trying to drain others to feed his greed
y soul. He will kill.”
I rubbed the back of my neck as I considered his words. The idea of bugs falling from the ceiling and landing on me was becoming a concern. I hate bugs. I couldn’t look gift guidance from the weird dirt god in the mouth, though. “Can the book help me?”
“The book was created to destroy your parents and the rest of their ilk,” Bob explained. “It will never do what Quinn wants it to because it cannot harm you. It can, however, fuel you.”
“How?”
“You will have to figure that out on your own,” Bob replied. “I don’t have every answer. I can merely point you in the right direction. Stay here tonight. Move to the compound tomorrow, but wait until you know the time is right to attack.”
“Will Aric survive?” I was afraid to hear the answer yet terrified not to ask the question.
“You and the wolf are bound together,” Bob said. “Perhaps things would have been different had you known what you were from birth. Your parents gave you the greatest gift in the world by letting you be normal. You never dreamed of power because you didn’t know you had it.”
Bob’s roundabout way of talking was starting to grate. “Will Aric survive?”
“The wolf will survive as long as you do,” Bob answered. “He will smother you with his heart and courage, and you will bolster him with yours. It is an interesting … if unexpected … pairing. I expect great things from it.”
What was that supposed to mean? “Go back to the book,” I said. “If Quinn gets his hands on it, will he be able to destroy the world?”
“It’s a powerful book, but it’s still just a book, Zoe Lake,” Bob said. “Quinn will never be able to harness its powers. He will be able to harness the powers of others to try to hurt you, though. That is what you cannot let happen.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You struggle with insecurity,” Bob explained. “That is your greatest weakness. Your insecurity regarding the wolf is waning. Soon it will be gone forever. Your insecurity about the others in your life is another matter.”
“You’re talking about Paris, aren’t you?”
Bob nodded, causing me to scowl.
“I’m not going out of my way to save Paris,” I said. “She betrayed me. She could have gotten Aric killed with her lies. There’s no room left for her in my life.”
“There will always be room for the true of heart in your life,” Bob argued. “Paris Princeton is true of heart, but unsteady of will. She will overcome that. She has been loyal to you since you met. She has erred, but so have you. Quinn will suck her dry and cast her empty husk over his shoulder as he tries to fight you. You cannot let that happen.”
“Why?”
“Paris Princeton has much to do in this world,” Bob replied. “Most of it does not revolve around you, although a great deal of it does. You will need her before it’s all said and done. You will regret it if you sacrifice her.”
“Will she betray me again?”
“The argument regarding Paris Princeton’s betrayal is nothing more than semantics,” Bob explained. “She has always been loyal to you. She will always be loyal to you. She has always faltered when it comes to her own heart. You are the one who must show her the light in that matter.”
“If you’re suggesting some weird threesome, I’m out.”
“Paris Princeton does not need your love … that way,” Bob said, choosing his words carefully. “She does need your love, though. You have to decide whether you’re willing to forgive, forget and move on. You have free will, Zoe Lake. It is time to use it.”
“You’re saying I’ll regret letting Paris die, yet I’m terrified that I’ll regret it if I let her live,” I said. “If she ever does something that hurts Aric … .”
“The wolf can take care of himself. He thrives on taking care of you. Yours is a symbiotic relationship. It will never wane as long as you make it a priority.”
“I guess that means I have to forgive Paris,” I mused.
“That is entirely up to you,” Bob said. “The future doesn’t necessarily become darker without her in your life. You will miss her light, though.”
“Well, thanks,” I said, feigning chipperness. “I appreciate you bringing me down into this dark hole so you could give me deep thoughts. You really brightened my day.”
“My final word of warning is this,” Bob said, ignoring my snark. “You tap into your powers through rage. In the end, it will be love that will drive you to victory. When the moment comes, do not be afraid to love.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“You will … and soon,” Bob said. “Now, if I’m not mistaken, the wolf is frantic. He needs you to return to him before he shreds the forest.”
That sounded good to me. “Beam me up, Scotty.”
Bob pursed his lips. “You are odd.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment from a guy who lives in a hole in the ground.”
“I do not live here,” Bob said. “This is merely a meeting place. I have been here for a few days waiting for you. I left long enough to deliver a message to you and then returned.”
“A message?”
Bob arched an eyebrow, waiting for me to figure out what he was trying to say without uttering the words.
“You put the note under our door,” I said, realization dawning. “You led me out here. Why?”
“Quinn wanted the upper hand,” Bob said. “I gave it to you. He was not expecting you for days. He’s not ready for you. The truth is, he will never be ready for you. This needs to be ended with expediency, though, and that is why I left the message for you.”
“Well, thank you.”
“I do not need thanks,” Bob said. “I need you to win.”
“Are you going to continue watching me?”
“Of course,” Bob said, smirking. “You’ve become my favorite television show – even better than Star Trek.”
That was a weird way to put it, but I would take it. “Send me home. I’m ready.”
“You’ve always been ready, Zoe Lake. You merely needed a push to realize it. Go with grace – and burn the power-hungry to the ground.”
24
Twenty-Four
I popped back into the meadow in almost the exact spot I had been standing before disappearing.
Aric roared my name as he raced to my side, pulling me against his chest. He trembled. “Where were you?”
“It’s kind of a long story,” I said, giving in to the hug even though we had things to do before darkness settled.
“You scared me, Zoe,” Aric said, cupping the back of my head and tangling his fingers in my hair. “Once second you were there and the next you weren’t.” He pulled back and grabbed both of my shoulders. I worried he was going to shake me for a moment. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“I didn’t technically do it this time,” I said.
“Where were you?” Aric was upset.
“I’m going to tell you,” I said, my eyes landing on Paris. “We have to set our security here, though. Paris, grab some wood for a fire.”
Paris mutely nodded. I could tell she’d been crying. When she disappeared, I turned my attention back to Aric. “Did you yell at her?”
“You disappeared, Zoe,” Aric said, his voice cracking. “You were gone for more than twenty minutes. You were there one second … close enough to touch … and then you were just gone. I … .”
“You thought she led us here as a trap,” I finished. “The thought occurred to me, too. We have a few things to discuss. Paris didn’t do this, though. I promise.”
“I … .”
“Grab all of our stuff and put it in the center of the fairy ring,” I ordered.
“Why right here?”
“Let’s just say I got some interesting advice and leave it at that for now.” I rolled up onto the balls of my feet and kissed his cheek. “It’s going to be okay.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Aric grumbled, moving to the ed
ge of the meadow where he’d discarded his pack. “You weren’t screaming for twenty minutes.”
“No, but I had to hang out with Bob.”
“Who’s Bob?”
“I’m still not sure,” I admitted. “I think you would probably like him. He likes to walk around without his shirt off all of the time, too.”
“THAT is … I don’t even know what to say.” Paris was flabbergasted when I finished telling my story.
Aric busied himself with dinner for the tale, but afterward he stared at the pan as the beans sizzled, and he seemed lost in thought.
“What are you thinking, my lord?”
Aric didn’t bother mustering a smile. “I think he could have taken you away and there’s not a thing I could’ve done about it.”
“Don’t be morose,” I said, dropping to my knees and moving him away from the pan with my hips. “Don’t burn our dinner either. I’m starving. Talking to a weird fortune cookie guy in a hole in the ground really takes it out of you.”
Aric grabbed a hank of my hair and ran it through his fingers. “Thank you for staying.”
I knit my eyebrows together. “What? Where would I go?”
“You said he offered to take you somewhere else,” Aric replied. “I know a lot of people would have trouble turning that down.”
“I’m not a lot of people,” I said, stirring the beans. “We’re all going to be stinking this place up tonight. I’ve seen Blazing Saddles. I know what beans and a campfire lead to.”
“Are you honestly telling me it didn’t even cross your mind to go with him?” Aric was doubtful.
“Aric, get a grip,” I shot back. “Why would I want to go someplace else when I’m already the queen of this world?”
“But … .”
“Knock it off,” I ordered. “We have big things to talk about tonight and I do not need you having a meltdown. For the record, I never want to go anywhere else. I already have the perfect home and boyfriend. Soon I’m going to have the perfect ring … maybe … oh, who am I kidding? You’re never going to give me that ring.”
Rising Covenant (Living Covenant Trilogy Book 1) Page 18
