by Casey Wyatt
“We get here?” Nina finished.
“I’ve learned not to ask anymore.” I surveyed the room. “Where’s Herne? We have to go back!”
“Absolutely not.” Ian pulled me against him. “You can sit this one out.”
I pushed away. “You don’t understand. Herne is my brother.”
Chapter Twenty
I Know Why the Dead Girl Sings
We arrived to find Philip and the other Rogues rising from the floor.
“Are we too late?” I tried not to rush to the worst conclusion. We would have come sooner, but I needed to retrieve something from my bedroom.
“I don’t know what happened.” Philip rubbed his head. “One minute we were awake and the next we hit the dirt.”
I raced past them. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to Edwin because of my ignorance. I found him leaning against the cavern’s stone wall. The entrance was sealed smooth.
“You won’t find the prison. They moved it someplace else.” Exhaustion coated his voice. I could sympathize. I could sleep for at least a week.
“Hopefully, far from here.” I settled against the wall next to him. Would it be wrong to take a nap?
“One of the avatars, Kyrene, I think, said they would be in touch.” He stared at the space where the cavern used to be. “What happened?”
“That’s a long story.” I wondered where the sister avatars had disappeared to and whether they’d be back. Kasia was tied to the ship, while Kyrene was the heart, overseeing the cavern’s technology. Kyshmar, only time would tell how she’d fit in.
“It appears that we have plenty of time.”
I wasn’t sure if he meant because we were undead or that exact moment. “How do you feel?”
“Tired. Confused. Hungry. Do you suppose the colony’s revenants would accept my people?”
“I can’t speak for them, but I have found Harmony to be very understanding. Do you wish to stay here?”
“There is nothing on Earth or in space for us.” He sounded so dejected.
A sudden case of nerves twisted my insides. What if he wasn’t really Edwin?
What if he was Edwin and I couldn’t help him?
Time to quit stalling. Summoning my courage, I lolled my head, facing him. “Can I ask you something?”
Herne nodded. “Sure. But if you want to know the meaning of the universe, I can’t help you there.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Even if he wasn’t Edwin, maybe we could be friends anyway. “I owe you an apology. For not recognizing you earlier. I’m sorry.”
He looked at me. Was it my imagination or had his features become more defined? “Apology accepted. I wasn’t at my best either. And you do realize that wasn’t a question.”
“And was that a hint of an upper-crust English accent?” Maybe I was hearing things.
“Yes, I do believe it was,” he said with a hint of smile. “I feel strange. I’m waking from a long, terrible dream.”
Kyshmar had suggested that once the entity was gone, Herne would be freed. I had the patience of a gnat, hence the detour to my apartment.
I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled out the toy soldier I’d found at my baby shower. “I believe this is yours.”
“It is?” He reached over and I put it in his hand, closing my palm over his.
There was nothing special about that tin soldier. At least not in any mystical way. But it had a magic of sorts.
Memories flowed between us. The times we spent in the forest playing pirates. Or the time we harassed the groundkeepers, pretending to be Robin Hood and his merry men. Edwin and I were mischief reincarnated.
Marvel lit up his eyes and he leaned over, studying me. “Charity?”
I grinned. “Edwin. Thank God. Or should I call you the Earl of Third Street.”
He laughed. A wonderful sound that echoed down the corridor. “I do feel more myself.”
“And you look it too.” I batted at the unruly cowlick as his hair regrew on his head. “Have you considered shaving it? Maybe it would control this thing.”
He hugged me. “I’m so glad to see you. I never thought—”
“I know. Same here.” Gratitude swelled in my breast. Being undead wasn’t so bad. “We have so much catching up to do.”
“Is that your baby crying?” Edwin, his face almost fully restored, craned his head toward the wailing.
“Yes.” I couldn’t wait to hold her.
“I’m an uncle!” He rubbed his hands together fiendishly. “Think of all the fun things I can teach her.”
Ian appeared with a fussy, red-cheeked Vala. “She misses you.”
I reached over and took my baby, savoring the feel of her in my arms. Kissing her forehead, I made a vow. No more adventures for the foreseeable future.
“I’m here, honey. We’re all here, together.”
Hopefully forever. Or however long that lasted.
Sometime later, when my limbs had gone numb from leaning against the stone, we moved. Edwin to his quarters on the ship. Ian, Vala, and I to our apartments.
“Come to me, sweet sleep,” I half moaned, half sighed. Sinking into the bed, I wasn’t getting up anytime soon.
Or so I thought.
“Cherry. We need to talk,” Jonathan said next to my ear.
I jumped half a mile. Like a phantom, his face hovered an inch away.
Ian, asleep next to me, grumbled and rolled over. Vala snuffled but remained sleeping.
“What do you want?” I snarled in his face. “Why can’t you let me sleep?”
“It’s time to say goodbye.”
The floor dropped out from under me. “But we won.”
“Yes,” he said patiently. “We discussed this earlier. Or have you forgotten?”
“I won’t see you ever again? Just when I thought we’d have a chance to catch up, and I could apologize for being a stubborn jackass, you pull this crap.”
He tweaked me on the nose. “It’s for the best. Kyshmar needs me to help hold the prison. She needs my strength.”
“What about me?” I hadn’t meant that to slip out. It sounded childish and whiny but I needed my closure.
“Darling, you don’t mean that. That’s your fear talking. You’re the bravest person I know.”
“There is so much I have to say.”
He touched my forehead. “You forget, I’ve seen the inside of your mind. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me. We both know I kept you ignorant. I really did do it to protect you. And your family. Cassandra warned me this day might happen. We prepared the best we could. Her visions never agreed on how or what would occur.”
“You did a good job.” I reached for his pale hand, surprised at how real if felt. “I’ve always cared about you. Even when I was giving you a hard time.”
“Which was pretty much every damn day.” A sober look washed over him. “I was only trying to keep my promise to you the night we married. To keep your brother and sisters safe. I did it the best way I could.” Jonathan kissed my forehead. “Live well. Live fully. And don’t worry about me. I have plenty to occupy my eternity.”
“Goodbye,” I said.
I felt his absence like a blade to my chest. Again, I wept for him. At least this time, I’d gotten to say my farewell.
Only later did the last part of our conversation catch up to me. He’d said he’d done it to keep my brother and sisters safe. Were Grace and Faith really undead somewhere?
Seeing Edwin every day would be amazing enough. But so was the idea that I might find our sisters too.
Well, there was always tomorrow.
Epilogue
It was the best of times. It was the worst of—
Wait. Scratch that. It was the best of times. Period.
My brother Edwin and his band of revenants had settled nicely into the colony. He doesn’t recall much of their time as Aryn’s slaves, but I had Kasia take a deeper look into their ship’s records.
According to her, and I trust h
er on this, they were basically put on ice waiting for the moment they could intercept me.
How in Jiminy Christmas had Aryn known where I’d be?
Kyrene provided some insight there.
Remember when I said way, way back in the beginning of this story that time travel wasn’t possible?
Turns out I was half right. Actual time travel, aka going back into time, is really impossible. Even the Ancients couldn’t do it.
Here’s where I was wrong.
They couldn’t travel with their physical bodies. But they did discover a way to transport their conscious minds into the past. Apparently, I’m the first one to make a leap forward in time.
Again, what the WHAT, Cherry?
We always assumed the Ancients lived in Earth’s past. But what if they existed in our future?
That’s the gist of what Kyrene suggested. It’s a wild theory and one that would keep Jay and Joan on their toes for the next century.
I know. Mind blowing. Am I right?
Maybe I’d never really know what I may or may not have changed. But I did know this—I was keeping my promise.
No more adventures. At least not until Vala was old enough to fend for herself. And judging by her rate of growth, that would be in half the time of a mortal child.
Already, she’d blown past the toddler stage. I half expected an eye-rolling rebellious teenager to appear at any moment.
Speaking of moments, I was working with my Family members, Nina and Brandy, in my quarters. We were organizing better housing for Edwin’s crew. Some of the revenants hadn’t bounced back as quickly to their solid forms. They were having a harder time integrating into the Colony so they decided to stay on their ship. They lived in special chambers that could better contain their essence.
They’d decided to move there on their own after a few embarrassing incidents. Like popping into the greenhouse dome, scaring the skin off the zombies.
Or the incident where they materialized in the vampire’s communal shower area. The former strippers took it in stride. The zombies weren’t able to laugh it off as easily. Who knew they were so touchy. Louis ended up easing the tension there.
Nina was integrating those souls along with help from Harmony. Brandy’s job was to locate unused living zones that were further away, yet still close enough to be part of the community. Unlike the Ancients’ prison cells which, in hindsight, hadn’t been “found” so much as planted in our midst.
Brandy also worked with Harmony and Jay to find ways to bring Edwin’s revenants back to themselves.
As for Ian and Jay, did they in fact travel the time stream too?
Ian remembers but Jay, not so much. He knows something happened, but it grows fainter each day. I think Jonathan may have paid him a visit too before disappearing into the Matrix with Kyshmar.
Maybe it’s for the best. Jay doesn’t need any ideas put into his head. Like figuring out how to ride time at will.
Anyhow, back to the here and now.
The ladies and I had wrapped up for the day when the thunderclap of tiny footsteps stopped our work. Brandy and Nina grinned like fools. They adored my girl, and I knew they would swoop her up first chance they got. Vala was milking her status as favorite person every chance she got. Who could blame her?
My kid was more in demand than a top performer. At least most nights, Vala slept in her own room and I usually saw her then.
Every day she brought a smile to my face. It was amazing.
“Momma! Can I go with Uncle Eddy to the outer crater today? He said I can fly the ship!” Vala bounded toward me, jumpsuit knees torn through, hair a mop of red curls.
Edwin, looking like he’d met his match, trailed behind her, energy flagging.
I reached for some juice pouches. “Vala. What have I told you about that?”
Vala studied her toes. “To never let Daddy hear me ask that question.”
“Because?” I prompted. Nina and Brandy suppressed their laughs. We’d had a version of this conversation every day for the past week.
“Because Daddy’s head will explode.” Vala came up with a different answer each time too. One she believed was correct.
Nina and Brandy lost it. Giggles erupted between them. Edwin laughed behind his hand.
“That’s not what I said. Look, peanut, you have your whole life to drive. Let Daddy and I enjoy you as a little girl a bit longer.” Before she started dating.
“Yes, Mommy.” She took Brandy’s and Nina’s hands, leading the ladies away. “See you soon.”
“Cherry. Is this how we were as children?” Edwin took the juice pouch from my hand. He needed it more than Vala. “She talks incessantly. I can’t take my eyes off her for a moment before she’s in the dirt. Or has broken something. We had to run out of Jay’s lab.”
“No, Edwin. I do believe we were worse.”
Vala didn’t have any trees to climb or streams to muck in, and I did feel some guilt about that. If the Undead War raging on Earth ever settled down, maybe we would go back. If and when I was sure Vala could survive there.
“Ugh. That’s the last thing I wanted to hear.” Edwin slumped, sipping the juice.
Ian poked his head into the living area. “Hey there. Got a moment? There’s a ship arriving in port.”
Edwin and I exchanged a worried look. The last time a ship arrived, my life derailed.
“Come on. I know who it is.” Ian grabbed me by the hand and kicked Edwin’s ankle. “You too. Let’s go.”
Ian remained close mouthed the entire trip to the spaceport. Louis was waiting for us inside with the latest arrival.
“Prior! You’re back.” I even managed to sound enthusiastic. Prior and I weren’t best buddies, but I didn’t hate the guy.
Prior puffed up with pride, typical for him. “Yes. I’ve completed a very important mission on Earth. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t have been more forthcoming with you, but it was all very hush-hush, need-to-know. I say, have we met before?” He looked Edwin up and down.
My brother didn’t miss a beat. “Sorry, old chap but my identity is hush-hush, need-to-know. I’m sure you understand.”
“Come now. Don’t mind him. He’s still being housebroken.” I elbowed Edwin in the ribs. My brother feigned offense, but I knew it was an act.
Ian looked like he was trying to swallow his tongue rather than crack a smile. “How did it go? Did you make progress?”
“It went as well as can be expected. Queen V’s death has left a terrible power vacuum, and I’m afraid the leaders of the races can’t fill her extremely capable shoes.”
Edwin made a chortling sound. “Is this guy for real?”
Ian looked like he wanted to grab Edwin by the scruff of his neck. Hey, he was the one who’d insisted my brother come along. I could have told him that he did even worse with authority than I did. He was a criminal overlord for a reason.
“Peace talks are necessary for our future safety,” Prior countered.
Peace talks? We weren’t at war with Earth.
I stared daggers at Ian. He’d decided to get involved with Earth matters without even telling me. He was sleeping on the Martian surface for the next month.
His shoulders stiffened. He understood the message.
My husband turned and pulled me aside. “Luv, I only want to keep our options open. In all fairness, you’ve been otherwise occupied. Don’t you want our daughter to see the ocean someday? To climb a tree?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Well played, Ian. But don’t think we won’t discuss this when we get home.” I fake-smiled at Prior, then rejoined Edwin.
Let Ian continue with his debrief of Prior. Maybe I’d learn something. Not that I intended to break my no-adventure rule.
“Prior. Is there anything I need to know?” Ian said.
Prior ran his finger around the collar of his jumpsuit as if it were a boa constrictor squeezing his neck. He lowered his voice. “The zombies insisted I allow a small delegation to return with me to Mar
s.”
“What?” A vein bulged in Ian’s forehead.
I knew how he felt. We’d tried very hard to keep the war on Earth. And we didn’t have any intention of allowing it to be imported to our colony. Plus, we had the only ships capable of coming to Mars. I hoped that didn’t change anytime soon.
“Well, there’s nothing to be done about it now.” Prior looked almost defiant. “I did the best I could short of tying them up and leaving them behind. And how would that have looked?”
“Kinky,” Edwin helpfully supplied.
Ian shot my brother a nasty look.
“Well, where are they?” I asked, noticing Louis had joined our circle. He’d been quiet and thoughtful. Not unusual for him, but the expression on his face made me do a double take.
Anger sharpened his features. Steam might come from his ears too. “We do not bring our females into public settings.”
I stared at Louis, realizing belatedly there were no female zombies on Mars. I knew they existed. Louis had told me that he was made by a female. That their Founder was a woman.
“Oh, shit,” I said under my breath.
Louis cut me the side-eye and gave me a curt nod. “Prior, what have you done?”
“Nothing that we did not ask him to,” said a female voice from inside the ship’s hold. A second female stood next to her, face obscured by a hood.
Edwin gripped my hand. “Charity—”
They stepped down the gangplank and I tensed.
No more adventures. I’d sworn I would stop.
“Hello, Sister and Brother. We have waited a long time to speak to you again. We would not have come except we need your help.”
Faith and Grace. My long-lost sisters. Jonathan’s vow to protect my Family made a lot more sense.
Edwin and I exchanged a look. We’d been right.
They were zombies.
Jiminy Christmas.
Acknowledgments
There’s this romantic myth that writers create magic all by themselves. While it’s true that no one stood over me during the actual writing of this story, the complete version would never have been possible without the patience and assistance of others.
