Inception (The Reaping Chronicles, 1)

by Haviland, Teal

  She loved being near the ocean no matter what part of the world, but she was partial to the white sands and emerald or turquoise waters from the Florida panhandle down into the Caribbean. Something made her want to be near palm trees and the constant breeze that made them sway as if they were dancing for joy because of the beauty they lived among.

  She sat at the water’s edge and allowed herself to get lost in thought as she appreciated the bright moon that hung low on the horizon. Capturing its light momentarily, the waves glistened as they crested and again as they reached the shore and pushed toward the thirsty grains of sand, pulling some back into their fold with every reach.

  She looked toward Heaven, searching the night sky for any of her brethren, looking past the stars themselves, trying to see her eternal home. She knew it was impossible, even for an angel, to see into Heaven from Earth, but she could see it clearly in her mind.

  As she was about to call Sheridan to bring her the day’s lot, she heard a familiar voice. It made her smile as soon as she heard it—Amaziah.

  ‘Gabrielle, I couldn’t help but feel you needed me. Are you okay?’

  His voice soothed her worries. He made everything seem as if it was going to be all right.

  Even when it wasn’t.

  ‘I’m okay. I just needed to clear my head for a while and think with the mind of an angel, instead of a human.’

  She heard him chuckle.

  ‘I understand it can be difficult. But I can’t say that I have any real knowledge.’

  ‘You haven’t ever taken a human form other than recently, with me?’

  ‘I have never had a need, or desire, to be anything other than what I am. I may never want to again after seeing how much it affects you, my dear.’

  ‘It’s not all bad, Amaziah. The physical sensations we don’t get to experience as angels are interesting.’

  He laughed again, ‘I know you have enjoyed that part. But is it worth it, Gabrielle? Is it worth all the doubts? The temptations? It is a lot to risk, you know.’

  Gabrielle was confused. ‘What do you mean—risk?’

  ‘Haven’t you realized, Gabrielle? The longer you are in your human body, the more you will think and feel as a human. It’s part of the reason you were limited to a six month stay on Earth.’

  She had noticed it seemed harder for her to think as an angel, but she hadn’t realized it would get more difficult.

  ‘You weren’t supposed to be in that form nearly as much as you have been. It was only going to be while you were in school for the day and for social activities. You spend almost every second of the day, and night, as a human.’

  She hadn’t considered how little time she chose to be in her true form. She hadn’t planned on Lucas, wanting to spend every moment possible experiencing what she felt when she was with him . And now, even knowing how much it was affecting her, she couldn’t imagine giving up time with him.

  ‘I hadn’t realized it would affect me so much. When I’m in my true form, I don’t feel its effects anymore.’

  ‘I wouldn’t expect you to. Not physically. It’s your mind that is of most concern to me … and should be to you. I don’t want your missteps to result in you falling.’

  There was a long silence, and Gabrielle thought back to the momentary flux in faith if Lucas chose Darkness. She was thankful when Amaziah continued speaking, ending the troubling memory.

  ‘Gabrielle, I know you don’t want to, but you should try to find more time out of your human body so you are in better control of your thoughts and actions. It will help you to make the right decisions, at the right time, when you are with Lucas or your other human friends. Otherwise, you may find yourself doing things you would never consider while thinking as you are now—as an angel.’

  ‘I will consider it.’

  Gabrielle meant what she said, and she knew he was right. It had already affected her judgment. If she continued to spend as much of her time as a human as she’d grown accustomed to, it would become an even bigger problem. It was too easy to get lost in the love and contentment she felt with Lucas.

  ‘I’m glad you knew I was thinking of you. I guess I needed to talk to you and didn’t realize it. Thank you for being my friend and confidant, Amaziah.’

  ‘You know I don’t need or desire your thanks, Gabrielle. I love you. I always will. It makes me happy to be able to be the one you turn to.’

  ‘I love you, too, Amaziah.’

  Chapter Sixty-seven

  Gabrielle ~ An Uprising

  Gabrielle could feel her mood lift as if the veil that protected Corstorphine from the outside realm also cleansed Gabrielle of her burdens. She didn’t stop to enjoy the scenery this time. She wanted to see Grayson, Rissie, and her bubble-blowing friend.

  I can’t believe I miss the grape bubblegum.

  Gabrielle smiled, and the thought of seeing her three friends made her hasten to Mareschall Castle. She received nods with accompanying smiles and some “Good mornings” from Shifters.

  I don’t know if they’d be so pleasant to me if they weren’t doing well.

  The heavy wood doors of the castle opened before she made it to them. Gabrielle laughed as soon as her gaze settled on who opened them. With a huge smile, quickly shielded by a decent size bubble, stood Phalen. She looked well and exactly the same except for a ponytail she’d never worn her hair in before and the brown and white dappled arrow fletching splaying at an angle behind her head and shoulder—making her look like she was sporting some futuristic, feathery hairstyle. Gabrielle took a deep breath, knowing the conversation she wanted to have with her friend would need to wait.

  “’Bout time ye gave the invalids a visit, sis!”

  “Ye?” Gabrielle responded in amusement at Phalen’s attempt at a Shifter’s accent. She greeted Phalen with a hug and laughter.

  “Well … you know. These Shifters have a way about them. It’s rubbing off on me.”

  “Anything else rub off on you?” Gabrielle asked as she pointed to what was on her back.

  Phalen pointed to the quiver that held about a dozen arrows.

  “What … this?” She asked with a playful smile. “I’m practicing so I can really beat Grayson when he’s better, not just barely take him. These Shifters know how to shoot!”

  Gabrielle’s laughter subsided as she considered the other two friends she was there to see. Her hopes lifted with Phalen’s comment about beating Grayson.

  He must be doing better, then.

  Phalen smiled. “He is, Gabrielle … he is. Come on.” Phalen turned and took Gabrielle’s hand. “Come see for yourself. They’re both doing fantastic.”

  Gabrielle let a hopeful smile slip across her lips as they walked through the wide stone halls of Mareschall. Large, colorful tapestries hung on its walls, alternated with intricate murals lovingly painted by talented artists among the Shifters. The halls, and their art and tapestries, told stories of each of the realms of Shifters—four realms, four sides of the castle, three levels on each side, each side dedicated to one realm. They walked along the hall for Corstorphine. It was, as far as Gabrielle was concerned, the most beautiful of the Shifter realms. She glanced at the scenes of people, battles, animals, landscapes, legends, and myths as they walked purposefully to Grayson’s quarters.

  When they reached the door to his room, Phalen gently knocked. Gabrielle heard the shuffle of soft-soled shoes on stone. As they drew closer, her stomach did a bit of a flip. She was nervous, regardless of Phalen’s nonchalance.

  He almost died because I asked him to be there for me.

  Phalen glanced at her with a raised eyebrow, and Gabrielle met her eyes.

  “Not everything is your fault, sister.”

  Gabrielle let out a slight humorless laugh and looked away. “Feels like it, lately.�
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  “Sounds like we have a lot to talk about.”

  Nodding but not looking back at her friend, she responded. “Yeah.”

  The door to Grayson’s room opened, casting bright light from its many windows into the hall. An older woman that Gabrielle knew as Razz stood in front of her. Razz was a nickname. No one was free from her jokes, and all loved to banter with the jovial woman. Gabrielle wasn’t sure what her real name even was, and she nervously let herself wonder what it could be as she waited to see if Razz would hold a grudge against her for putting two Shifters in a situation that almost got them killed—one being the Shifter’s leader.

  A leader who happened to be her son.

  Gabrielle studied Razz’s face, looking for some sign of her thoughts. She was not only pleasant in humor but in looks. A head full of large, loose, blond curls was tied back in an intricate half braid. It would be difficult to recreate, but the Shifters seemed to have a way with things like that, and she wondered what they could do with her own. Razz was apparently the one responsible for Grayson’s blue eyes, though hers were darker than his, and for his smile that made her eyes to light up just like Grayson’s. It was magical when they smiled, like their eyes infected everyone with the happiness contained in their bodies at that moment.

  It’s a beautiful thing.

  It was even more beautiful to Gabrielle when she saw that smile spread across Razz’s face as she greeted Gabrielle.

  “Hello, m’lady! So good to see ye!” Razz moved in to hug Gabrielle.

  Gabrielle let out a quiet sigh of relief as she hugged her back tightly. Razz gave her one last tight, reassuring squeeze before she let her go.

  “Hello, Razz. How are you?”

  “I’m quite well, but we both know yer here to see m’son. You and I can catch up later.” Razz’s expression changed to playful and quizzical. “Less yer here to do ‘im in this time,” she said, then offered a wink.

  Gabrielle chuckled lightly. “No. I think I’d like him to live a bit longer.”

  “Good. He hasn’t given me any gran’children, yet. And I want gran’children,” she said, raising her voice and turning her head toward the room behind her. “Lots and lots of gran’children. Ye hear me?”

  “It may ne’er happen, mum,” Grayson said loud enough to carry across his large room, “if I can’t find a female who’ll put up with me.”

  Gabrielle looked around Razz to see Grayson awake and propped in bed with several pillows. An authentic smile spread broadly across his face. Gabrielle felt a huge sense of relief move through her as she fought back tears.

  ‘Thank you, Yahuwah.’

  ‘I told you he was doing well, sister.’

  Gabrielle sat carefully and slowly on the bed next to Grayson. His smile grew, and he laughed as he extended his hands to hers.

  “I’m not that fragile, m’lady.”

  Gabrielle took his hands in hers, and she leaned down to rest her forehead on them. She tried but couldn’t stop the tears from pooling and then slipping from her eyes. The cry was silent, though. At least until Grayson spoke.

  “Aww … ther’ll be none of that. I’m fine.”

  Gabrielle couldn’t help but hug him, and when he hugged her back, her crying was no longer silent. He held her and stroked her hair, whispering that he was okay.

  But his words didn’t make what had happened any better, any easier, or her any less responsible.

  After Gabrielle pridelessly cried in Grayson’s arms for several minutes, she was able to get hold of herself again. He told her that, in no time at all, he would be back on his feet, fighting the good fight.

  She hoped he was right.

  Gabrielle could tell he was in more pain than he let on, and he was certainly still weak. All she could do was wait for the healing process to finish. She wouldn’t feel entirely at ease until he was fully recovered.

  She checked on Rissie. Her leg had been set, the wound caused by the break stitched up. Gabrielle found her on the back lawn of the castle grounds being lifted by two muscular, rather attractive, young men. Rissie joked as she was carried into the Mareschall that being injured had its benefits, motioning to her transportation. She assured Gabrielle during their long talk that she was also doing just fine.

  Gabrielle and Phalen walked around Corstorphine. Silently. Neither one seemed to want to interrupt the other’s enjoyment of the scenery. The sun’s descent was almost complete, and the stars above them were beginning to make themselves known. The moon, always much larger and brighter in Corstorphine, was full and starting to peek over the horizon into the Shifter’s realm to begin its vigil for the night.

  A cool breeze carried the scent of dinner preparations and of wood burning in fireplaces from the village across the rolling hills. When they topped one of those hills, Gabrielle stopped and sat on the ground facing the village and the setting sun behind it. Light from candles and lanterns spilled onto the streets from the windows of homes and businesses, softly illuminating cobblestones, grass, and dirt. Mareschall was within view, perched on ground far higher than the rest of the village. There was also light coming from many of its rooms. Gabrielle could see Grayson’s from where they were sitting. It had far more windows than any other room of Mareschall except for the ones that mirrored his, each sitting on the corners of the castle. They were the largest of the private quarters and were kept for the leaders of the Shifter realms. Grayson had told her that their visits were far less frequent over the past couple of decades. Phalen made it obvious that she heard her thoughts.

  “Why aren’t the leaders from the other realms visiting, anymore?”

  Gabrielle laid flat on the ground and studied the heavens as she answered.

  “Apparently,” she began, “Grayson thinks there’s an uprising brewing.”

  “Uprising? Why?”

  “He thinks it has something to do with his family being in power for so long. There aren’t really rules about it, and they aren’t officially royalty; it’s just how it’s always been. There are other clans who feel they should have a shot for a while.”

  “Hmmm …” Phalen responded . “What does Grayson think of it?”

  “That he doesn’t want anyone who thinks they deserve power to have much of it, and being looked upon as royalty could embolden them to a level of tyranny. He says that he’s considering calling for a vote to put an official title on someone as king. That way, there isn’t any question. But he wants all Shifters to have a say in it, not just the current leaders. It will be the first Shifter election in history. That way it will set up who is royalty, and from that point on, it will be law and can’t be changed. Unless by war.”

  “Ugh … no more war.”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  They listened to the crickets begin their nightly chorus, spending several minutes in silence. An owl hooting in the distance and laughter from the village broke that silence between them.

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that, sister.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Let’s change the subject,” Phalen said as she popped a piece of gum in her mouth and lay down next to Gabrielle. “What’s been going on back in the human world?”

  This subject wouldn’t prove to be any lighter, but Gabrielle did want to share what she knew with Phalen. It would help, she hoped, to discuss it with someone other than just Amaziah.

  “More deep stuff, I’m afraid,” Gabrielle said through a heavy breath. She turned her head toward Phalen and found she was already looking back at her.

  “What is it?” Phalen asked.

  “It turns out that not only will Lucas play a part in whether or not the Destroyer comes into power …” Gabrielle paused, not for dramatic effect but because a large lump had formed in her throat, stalling her words—like it thought that if she didn’t
speak them out loud it wouldn’t all be real. She swallowed hard.

  “He will choose whether or not he will become the Destroyer.”

  Phalen just eyed her for several moments, mouth agape, eyes wide, and apparently having as much difficulty in understanding as Gabrielle did when Amaziah spoke the same words to her.

  “No …” Phalen finally responded.

  “Yes.”

  Phalen quickly sat up and turned toward Gabrielle, her legs crossed like a pretzel.

  “Gabrielle … I am so sorry.”

  “I am, too.”

  “What does he think about all of this?”

  “He doesn’t know.”

  “You haven’t told him?” Phalen asked with surprise.

  Gabrielle shook her head, pursing her lips.

  “You have to tell him, Gabrielle.”

  A sigh was her first response. “I know. I will … eventually.”

  Phalen studied her, silence lingering longer than before. Her friend lay back down next to her, but this time, she took Gabrielle’s hand in hers, giving it a long, firm squeeze. They stayed there, looking at the stars for a long time, watching as they became brighter and more numerous while the world around them darkened. They thought their private thoughts and listened as the Shifters began their night filled with friends and family, food and drink, laughter and music. All while Gabrielle wondered if their world, the human one, and her own would survive the Great War.

  And Lucas’s decision.

  Chapter Sixty-eight

  Gabrielle ~ Unseen Dangers

  For many weeks after Gabrielle’s big reveal to the Daniels family, everything seemed to be business as usual for Lucas, Nonie, and Nate. Gabrielle thought it was too normal. Fall had firmly claimed its time; it was the end of October, and the seconds were ticking off louder in her head every day.