I handed the rock back to Ahi before another 'Hitchcock' scenario occurred.
She gasped, dropping the rock on the sandy floor. "It's hot!"
My heart skipped a beat. "What?"
I saw her glance at the bus driver, standing at the entrance to the cave. He started toward us. She looked at me again, inspected my hand for I don't know what, then bent down to retrieve the stone. She scooped it up with the edge of her skirt and placed it back on the cave shelf. "Come on, Chica."
She led me out, calling to the rest of the tourists and nudging the bus driver to start the engine. The sun was sinking below the horizon by the time we returned to the visitor's center.
I caught up with Ahi and tried to slip her a few Chilean pesos. "Thank you for the tour."
She smiled. "Oh, no. Thank you. This was my first day on the job. You made it easy." She closed my hand back around the pesos and we started outside. "That is not necessary. Where are you staying?"
"Well, um…" I made it a point to glance at the darkening sky. "I'm not sure. I don't have much money, and I didn't expect the hotels to cost so much. I was thinking of checking out some of the family-operated hostels."
Bee cried out, as if on cue. "Oh, she's hungry. I should probably feed her first."
Ahi looked at the baby and then again at me. Her eyes softened.
Gotcha.
"Can you recommend a place?" I asked. "We plan to be here awhile."
Ahi smiled. She was really very pretty when she smiled. "Come with me, Chica. I know of a place."
Friend made. Check. Place to stay. Check. Next on the list – raise my baby.
*
Ahi took me to her own home; a guest room with a couch, to be exact. "It's just my mother and me here now. Papa died ten years ago and his family left the house to us."
I set down my bags on the couch. "I appreciate it, but – you don't have to do this."
An older woman shoved her way past Ahi and into the room, clicking her tongue and speaking rapidly in Spanish. Leaving a bundle of towels on the room's only other piece of furniture, a small dresser, she opened the window to let in the breeze, patted my cheek, then left just as quickly dragging Ahi with her.
Ahi laughed and said over her shoulder, "Mama says you can stay as long as you wish."
Chapter 8
Too Many Shades
"I think we should just let her be," Susan suggested for what had to be the hundredth time since their meeting started. "She’ll come back when she’s ready."
Micah paced the small living room of his Reunion Island cottage, keeping an eye on Shawn.
Susan rubbed her temples. "Chasing her down would be like cornering a wild animal. A wild animal with a baby to protect. She'll fight back."
"Susan," Micah finally faced his sister. "I can't not look for her." The pages of notes he held in his hands crinkled as he squeezed his fists.
Another glance at Shawn told Susan what he didn't say out loud. Shawn would never stop looking either.
She watched her brother begin to pace the room again. Her heart ached to know Kaitlyn was okay, but it ached for Micah more. She could see him crumbling under the burdens he shouldered. She sighed. "Well what did the guys at the Chakra find out?"
Micah flipped through his notes. "A lot. She left several possible leads as to where she went, but it’s possible all of them are false. How she had time to do all this is…" Micah made a pointed look at Alex, "curious."
"What's done is done," Susan said, coming to Alex's defense. "What else did they find out?"
"She researched hot spots around the world, and their coordination with ley lines and volcanoes. Kaitlyn pinpointed areas that would be energy-giving for her," Micah was flipping through his notes. "Following her research, we were able to identify several more possible sources of energy. I've narrowed it down to three though; Yellowstone, Greenland, and Easter Island."
"Three?" Shawn finally spoke. "We could split up, cover more ground."
"Out of the question," Micah didn't even look up.
Susan nodded. "I'll go back to the Chakra – keep things running, and give you what support I can from there."
Alex walked to Susan. "I'll go with you."
The squeeze of her hand did not go unnoticed by Micah.
"No," Susan said. "Kaitlyn needs you more right now."
Micah caught Susan's meaning. Alex would be there to tip the scales in Micah's favor when they find Kaitlyn. Alex nodded, moving to stand by Micah. The pair looked at Shawn.
Sensing his distinct disadvantage, Shawn brought out the one thing that could even things out. The Athame. "She drew power from the Shades. What Alex claims she learned from them must have taken a great deal of time. They know her; possibly helped her plan the escape. I can pay them a little visit."
Micah looked at Alex and Susan, raising one eyebrow in question. Alex shrugged, Susan didn't respond. It was Micah's decision to make.
"Fine. Do it now." Micah said.
Shawn nodded once, spinning the knife in his hand. "It feels different. The energy it's emitting…" Shawn looked at Alex. "What did she do to it?"
Alex shifted behind Micah. "She consecrated it. Said a spell, invoking the elements, or whatever."
"Then what?" Shawn asked, still spinning the knife.
"Then she touched the knife to her forehead and, well, fainted."
Shawn rolled his eyes. "She’s always fainting."
"That’s when they began taking over, like she had multiple personality disorder or something," Alex said. "One time, a Fire Shade took control. In no time at all, she had a huge bonfire going out back, and began dancing around it, naked—" Alex cut off at Micah's hard stare and furrowed eyebrows. Alex inched away from him. "I tried to stop her, but I got…burned."
Susan hit him on the shoulder.
"Ow!" Alex rubbed his arm.
"Okay, let's just do this," Shawn declared, standing up and stretching as if he were about to run a marathon.
"Wait." Alex reached into one of his cargo pockets, producing two pairs of handcuffs. "Put these on."
Shawn caught the metal rings just before they hit his face. He glared. "What for?"
"Because when you go under, anyone could come up."
Shawn grumbled, but seated himself back in the chair, placing the cuffs on his wrists and ankles. He winked at Susan. "Don't even think about taking advantage of me while I'm out."
"Oh – gag me," she wrinkled her nose.
"Anytime, baby."
Micah's fists tightened as he took a step toward Shawn.
Shawn clicked his tongue in warning, still clutching the Athame. "You think you're ever going to find her without this? You think you'd be able to use this – and come out alive?"
"Maybe I should do it," Susan said, moving in between the two men.
"Absolutely out of the question," Alex said. "Too dangerous."
Susan rolled her eyes.
"No, he's right," Micah agreed, then nodded at Shawn. "Besides, he's dispensable."
Susan looked at Micah, then Shawn. "Fine."
"Fine." Shawn shrugged and clicked the cuffs closed around his wrists. "I'm gonna need salt, incense, a candle, and a bowl of water."
Susan arched an eyebrow.
"What?" he asked. "Afraid I'll make a margarita?"
She huffed, but searched the small house for the required materials. "There," she said, setting the last of the four elements in front of him, then lighting the candle.
Shawn performed the consecration spell.
Micah looked on, still doubting if he’d made the right decision. But, hell, the guy was rendered practically immobile. It would be easy enough take the damn Athame and give it a try himself.
Shawn's chanting ceased. He thrust the knife upward into the air with both hands – the point quivered unnaturally fast. Then he touched the blade flat against his forehead and nose.
"Seriously?" Susan murmured.
"That’s exactly how Kaitlyn did it," Ale
x said.
Shawn slumped in the armchair, unconscious.
"So what now?" Micah asked.
"Now – we wait. And hope that Shawn, and only Shawn, comes back." Alex stood, stretching. "Want something to drink?"
"Beer," Susan and Micah said in unison.
"Right." Alex left the room.
Micah sat on the couch beside his sister. He ran his hand through his hair and rubbed at the five day old stubble on his chin.
"You need to get some sleep," Susan said, frowning at the bags under Micah’s eyes.
Micah laughed. "I don't think I could if I tried."
"You want some sleeping pills?"
"No." He shook his head. "I can't be drugged up with this guy around."
Susan looked at Shawn. His chest rose slowly at the relaxed pace of deep sleep. He looked almost angelic. She sighed. "What happened to him? How did he become… this?"
They had all grown up together. They had all been adopted, raised, and trained by Cato. Only recently had they discovered Shawn was Cato's biological son.
"Cato was always a little crazy in his own right," Micah said. "Shawn just took that crazy to a whole new level."
"So you think it was all nature; nothing to do with nurture?"
Micah smiled and put his arm around his sister. "Look at us – we turned out all right."
"Well, one of us did anyway." She laughed. Her laugh died out as she looked at Shawn again. "Cato did spend a lot more time with him – taught him things he never got around to teaching us."
Micah nodded. "I know. I think Cato was hoping Shawn would take over for him."
Susan took a deep breath. Eyeing her brother, she said, "I'm going to change things, you know. It won't be like before."
"I'm counting on it, sis." Micah leaned over, planting a kiss on the top of her head, like their father used to do to them.
Susan looked back at Shawn. "What are we going to do with him, once we find Kaitlyn?"
Micah looked down at his hands.
She pressed the issue. "Could you kill him – your own brother?"
"Adopted," Micah said. "Besides, she is my wife."
"Handfasted," Susan said.
Micah rubbed a hand over his face again, but movement called their attention back to Shawn before Micah could answer Susan’s question. Shawn's arm twitched, followed by a leg. He moaned.
Susan and Micah jumped to their feet.
"Is it a seizure?" Susan asked. "Alex – get in here!"
Alex ran in, setting three open bottles of beer on the coffee table.
"No," Micah said. "It's not violent enough to be a seizure."
Shawn's legs kicked out, slamming into the coffee table, knocking the open beer onto the carpet.
Susan raised an eyebrow. "You were saying?"
"Goddamn it!" Micah bent to catch the bottles. "He's cleaning that!"
"Shawn!" Alex yelled, now standing over the slumped form. "Wake up!" He reared back his open palm and slapped Shawn hard on the face.
There was no response.
Micah tried next, taking Shawn by the shoulders and shaking him. "Shawn!"
"Look out, boys!" Susan warned. As Alex and Micah stepped back, she sloshed what was left in the beer bottles onto Shawn's face. He still jerked, and the beer dripped down onto the armchair.
"Not the furniture, too!" Micah exclaimed.
Susan rolled her eyes.
The three froze at the sound of sizzling accompanied by the smell of burning flesh.
Susan wrinkled her nose. "Look!"
Burn marks blossomed across Shawn's arm. "Is this hurting Kaitlyn, too, do you think?" Micah asked, panicked, furniture forgotten.
"I don't know," Alex said. "This never happened with Kaitlyn."
"Shit. Shit. Shit." Susan paced. "Think. What do we do?" Moving back toward Shawn, she slapped him hard across the cheek. "Wake up you bastard!"
The knife still in his hand, he jerked again. Micah pushed his sister out of the way of the flailing blade. "Stand clear! He must be fighting the Shades. Let him ride it out."
A large part of Micah hoped Shawn wouldn't make it, but then, a smaller part argued, he'd be left without any advantage in finding Kaitlyn.
Just then, as if to spite Micah, Shawn sat forward, eyes springing open. He gasped for a breath that he didn't need. With hands still cuffed together, he waived his knife wildly in front of him, warding off an invisible enemy.
"Shawn! Stop! It's us!" Susan took a step forward.
Alex stopped her. "Wait. It might not be Shawn."
The three watched as Shawn's eyes adjusted, taking in the room, then the burns on his arms. He looked up, sniffing. "Why do I smell like beer?"
"It's Shawn, alright." Susan sounded disappointed.
"Well, what happened? What did you find out?" Micah asked.
"Uncuff me first."
"Tell me!" Micah clenched his fists, wanting to rip the words out of Shawn's mouth.
Shawn's voice grew quiet and he narrowed his eyes, "Uncuff. Me."
Micah crossed his arms, debating internally. But the need to know superseded his ego. He nodded at Alex. Alex threw the key to Shawn.
"Well?" Micah prodded.
Shawn took his time with the handcuffs. "Those Shades do not play nicely." He rubbed at the red marks on his wrists. His eyes traveled up his arm to the burn marks, then flicked to Susan. "I could use some ointment, sweetheart."
She stiffened, but Shawn had the advantage for now. They needed to know what had happened. She left the room in search of the first aid kit.
"Everyone who had been touched by the knife is there," Shawn continued.
Alex snorted. "I could've told you that."
"Which means Kaitlyn's Shade is there, as well."
Alex clamped his mouth shut. He hadn't thought of that – not even Kaitlyn had thought of that.
Shawn continued, "Shades possess knowledge of the power they once held, but also memories of what once was their life. Kaitlyn's Shade might lead us to Kaitlyn."
"Did you see it there? I mean Kaitlyn's Shade?" Micah asked, tensing. It was part of Kaitlyn, of who she was, and he shuddered to think it was at Shawn's mercy.
"I searched, but I think she’s being protected."
"By whom?" Susan asked, tossing the blue compact first aid kit at Shawn.
"By Sarah," Shawn grumbled.
Humor lit the faces of the other three in the room. Sarah, a former Gaia and Shawn’s former girlfriend, was executed once Kaitlyn was found to be her successor.
"They need some time to settle down; maybe a few days. Then I'll go back and try to speak to the one that seems to be in charge." Shawn did not look too happy. When Sarah's Shade took over Kaitlyn's body during the battle on Heard and McDonald Islands, she found out what Shawn did to Kaitlyn on Galapagos. Shortly after, Sarah provided the necessary power to stab Shawn with his own knife.
Micah ran his hand through his hair in agitation again, "Fine. In the meantime, we're going to Greenland. She likes to snowboard."
Chapter 9
Covering the Tracks
It was around the third night I really began to question my sanity when I resolved to live in a cave. Running water was something I couldn't do without, especially with a newborn baby. A washing machine, toilet, shower, sink – hell, even the filtered water that came out of the refrigerator was a modern convenience taken for granted.
After a hard, drawn-out battle, a natural labor and birth, and two weeks of travel, I finally had a chance to heal. I mean, really heal. Ahi’s mom – Mama, as the entire town called her – was the town’s go-to doctor for those that didn’t have insurance or who couldn’t afford the expensive South American doctor that had set up shop on the island. She didn’t speak any English, but Ahi translated the necessities for us.
Her advice was invaluable. With her help, I was able to nurse Bee the right way, no more bleeding nipples – a godsend in itself. On her diet, I gained energy.
Over the next f
ew weeks, I learned how to cook with local produce, turning it into traditional meals. I repaired squeaky hinges and even a leaky hole in the roof, though it took several attempts.
Mama and I spent at least two hours a day weeding and planting in the small garden in their backyard. When Bee wasn’t sleeping, she was tethered to my back. Had the island not been a hotspot, feeding me energy willingly, I'm not sure I could have ever done it. And to think, most mothers do this all without magical powers.
We were cleaning up from erecting a new fence around the garden. Mama rolled up the remaining chicken wire, talking incessantly in Spanish. I was beginning to pick up words and phrases.
A surge of energy came from the far end of the island. It was easy to pinpoint; near one of the extinct volcanoes.
I dropped my shovel, running inside. I’d been found. That was all I could think it could be. Grabbing the backpack that had seen us here all the way from Australia, I began stuffing it with everything now considered essential; Bee's u-shaped pillow, her blankets, powder, my clothes. All of it wouldn't fit. My resolve flickered. If they could find me here, what use was running?
I crawled into the playpen with Bee; she was still sound asleep.
What to do, what to do?
I hugged my knees and began rocking back and forth, unsure and desperate and scared. Bee stirred, snapping me out of my panic.
I threw the blanket Mama knitted over her, covering her entire body. Maybe I could hide her. I could say something went wrong; she didn't survive. If they didn't find her, she'd be safe. Her limbs jerked and the blanket was pulled from her head. No, that would never work. I couldn't leave her.
Suddenly, I knew. A shield. I recalled the shield Shawn's Elementals had built around him during our battle. I could do the same and hopefully keep it up around us until the threat passed. I began by forming several water weaves, but stopped before they could shape themselves into condensation. Next was air, then fire and earth. A circle of thick braids surrounded me and Bee, and I started making adjustments. Less fire here, more earth there – the braids melded together to form an invisible shield. Shawn would've been proud – or enraged. Guess we would find out, if he was the source of the energy surge.
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