Daniel had a frown on his face. He was looking at me as if he had never seen me before. He obviously was not jumping to any conclusions about my inability to find the proper words. For once, I wished he would.
“What were you hoping?” he asked.
“I wanted it to be ours,” I said. “I know it’s not a penthouse in New York or a mansion on a mountain, but it is something we will always have. It’s more than forever. It’s a place to start a life together, with just you and me.”
Daniel’s eyes widened then softened. His smile was slow and sexy, the sort of smile that took my breath away. He put a hand on the side of my neck and moved in for a kiss. I met him halfway. His kiss was slow and sweet – a different kind of promise. He pulled away to look me in the eyes again. The green of his eyes sparkled with his emotion.
“This is way better than a penthouse in New York,” he said.
“Yeah?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he agreed.
I smiled at the confirmation that I had done something right. Then, I refocused on the house and the task at hand. I crossed the lawn and stepped up the stairs with familiar purpose. The house creaked at the feel of unaccustomed feet on its porch. It groaned with the knowledge that someone was finally coming to visit. The key fit in to the lock perfectly. The door opened with a different creak; the creak of awareness. It was a creak that said it was glad to be opened again.
The house was unchanged since our last visit. It was still a mess; it still looked as if someone foreign had searched through all of our things. My thought at seeing the mess was that Marcus had been here – had been in my house. Was he searching for the sword or did he know that my grandfather had figured more out than he let on? Had he come personally to look for me after Ellen had fled to Santa Monica? I walked past the study and stopped in front of the picture by the kitchen. It was a familiar picture – it was the first thing that had let me know how truly affected Ellen had been by her separation from her family. I remembered perfectly the way her hand had trembled as she held it out to the picture. My hand trembled the same way, for a different reason. I took a deep breath to control the trembling and took the picture off the wall.
I pulled the back off the frame with quick hands. Inside was something I had not been expecting. The back of the picture was covered by old, crinkled parchment folded in half. It was the sort of parchment not used in modern times. Sensing the history, I was gentle as I pulled the parchment away from the picture. I set the picture and the frame on the ground and unfolded the parchment. As I unfolded the parchment, I realized it wasn’t one piece of parchment but two. There were two documents. The one on top was a map. It showed the mountains of Israel. Circled in red was one of the mountains.
“This is near where you described,” Daniel told me at the sight of it. “The vision you had of Marcus in a tower…it could be here.”
I handed him the map, so he could look closer and saw the second page. There was a drawing on this page. One that terrified me. A dark shape was hovering over a nameless city. The shape was massive. It was completely etched in darkness but I could tell that it had wings and was holding a black sword. Fire dotted the landscape under the picture. And there were people. Some of the people in the picture were dead, others were fleeing across an unending landscape; still others were marching over the top of the dead and dying. The way the last group was drawn, I had no doubt they were Watchers.
There was a short paragraph at the bottom of the picture. The words were strange and blurry. It took me a moment to make sense of the confusion. Then, the words moved and I was able to understand; understanding did not make me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. I read the words aloud, figuring Daniel would want to hear them too.
“The weapon that wakes with famine, war, conquest and death. It is the unmaker. It is the beginning of the end. Its appearance marks that which has been foretold by the prophet – it is the bringer of the apocalypse. It has long been locked away in a vault that only the sons and daughters of Michael can unlock, for it was one of his children who took the weapon after the first attempt at unmaking. Their line is best suited to resist the evil of the weapon. He who controls the unmaker will be the master of unending life, ultimate power and will rule the world as a dark king. It is said that once a great city protected against those who would seek the sword out, but if the city still exists, there is no record of it.”
Daniel had stopped staring at the map to stare at me. His green eyes were full of shock and utter terror.
I had a different reaction. I was annoyed that the reason I was hunted, the reason Marcus had been so serious about tracking me down was that he was a walking cliché. I had hoped more from him. I had hoped there was a better reason under the madness, a reason that went beyond a weapon that would grant him unending life and ultimate power.
“How come the bad guys always want to rule the world with some weapon that’s just going to make everyone unhappy, including the bad guy?” I asked. “Why can’t they just settle for a puppy?”
Daniel didn’t hear me.
“Marcus wants to unleash that in to the world?” Daniel asked. “Even he is not so stupid to think he can control a weapon that evil. This is a force that predates humanity…Even Watchers are no match against that kind of power.”
“I hate to break it to you, but I think Marcus is off his rocker,” I said. “He’s obsessed with living forever…the visions he’s shared with me are proof of that. And this weapon is key to that reality. He wants what he thinks he deserves.”
“What if he’s found the way to get this thing out without the son or daughter of a Michaels?” Daniel asked. “What if that’s why he killed the council? He’s ready to pull it out from where it’s been hidden and cause world-ending chaos?”
“But surely the council is not the only people who would keep him in line? Aren’t there others?” I asked.
“Us,” Daniel said.
“But what about what you said before, about the flood and God punishing Watchers for fighting and destroying the earth and everything?” I asked. “Isn’t he afraid of retribution?”
I couldn’t keep the mocking tone out of my voice. Daniel didn’t miss the mocking tone, but he was more focused on the truth.
“A lot has changed since those times. A deal was brokered to cause the flood,” Daniel said. “We don’t have the power to make such deals anymore...”
“You are telling me we’re the only thing standing in the way of…this?” I asked.
I pointed at the picture and the chaos of the end of world as we knew it. Daniel nodded. His eyes lingered on the picture. His eyes showed that he was more familiar with the picture than he was letting on. I wondered if the picture was close to the vision he had of the end of the world.
“Yes,” he agreed.
“Do you think we can?” I asked.
“Does that matter?” he asked. “We have to.”
“The sons and daughters of Michaels,” I repeated, looking at the picture. “He thinks I can get this weapon for him.”
“With your blood, maybe,” Daniel said.
“He has my blood, remember? He took a sample from Ellen. No, it had to be more than that. I have to…”
“Give it willingly?” Daniel asked.
We stared at each other.
“But that will never happen,” I said. “He’ll never get that. So what’s his game?”
“There must be more to the story,” Daniel said. “Another way of freeing the weapon.”
“We know his end-game,” I said. “Now we just have to stop him.”
“This map could help,” Daniel said. “If this is where the weapon is entombed then this is where Marcus is. He would want to be close, to find out if there is another answer to opening the prison.”
“Yeah, but so what?” I asked. “We don’t have the manpower to fight him. We don’t have an army. He’s got a freaking fortress. We’ve got a boat and a bunch of hope.”
“We’ll build an army up,” Daniel said.
“We’ll fight.”
His eyes shone with fervor; a light that would not be repressed. It wasn’t the first time I had seen him so worked up, but it was the first time it scared me. I had a feeling that fighting would not be so easy this time.
“You’re cute when you talk about the end of the world,” I said lightly to hide my fear.
He smiled. “We will ask the historian if she knows anything.”
“Don’t you think she would have mentioned it if she did?” I asked.
“She may not know what Marcus is planning…she may not have considered the weapon, or not know of it.”
“Or doesn’t want to admit it,” I said. “Because she doesn’t want us to know there’s no way to stop what’s coming.”
“That’s what I love about you Clare, your optimism,” he replied.
“Thanks,” I said.
“We should check on Reaper,” Daniel added. “He might have more information.”
“Should we tell him?” I asked. “About your vision of the end of the world and…this?”
I held up the picture.
“I think Reaper has a right to know,” he said.
“I thought you said knowing the future could change things,” I pointed out.
“It’s getting to the point where we can’t keep it to ourselves anymore,” Daniel said. “Odette has disappeared, Marcus is picking up speed and the only thing we have to go on is a vision I had close to a hundred years ago.
I made a face. “It’s weird when you bring your age up like that,” I said. “So casually…”
“It is what I am,” Daniel said. “You know that.”
“It’s still weird,” I said.
“I’ll hint at next time, just for you,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Ready?” he asked.
I looked around the house, wondering when I would see it again – or even if I would see it again. I had meant for it to be a promise to Daniel, but it felt as much as a promise to me. I wanted to know that we had a place waiting for us, a way to ground us to something outside of life and death.
“Yeah,” I agreed.
He held out his hand and I focused on the interior of the boat. It was not a hard focus; two weeks was enough time to embed even the smallest of details in to my mind forever.
We landed in the middle of the hall. People stopped walking to look at us. When they realized we weren’t an enemy they kept walking, though many eyes lingered on us. The feeling of being stared at was intense; the most intense scrutiny I had ever faced. There were more people than I remembered the last time I had been on the ship. The place hummed with sound, and the feeling of life onboard had grown. With the historian’s training, I felt tied to them all. Daniel and I looked around at the people in surprise. Neither of us had an explanation to the dramatic increase of Watchers – there were more people than the addition of the soldiers of the nine – or the reason they were staring with such fascination in their eyes.
We threaded our way through the crowded hallway and made our way to the galley. Reaper was there with the others. He was standing in the middle of the room, while the others sat at the tables around him. Serenity, Eli, Mick and Ileana sat apart from the group, but their eyes were trained on Reaper. I sensed that Reaper had just finished filling the others in on what had happened at Odette’s castle. Serenity was doing her best not to let the pain of Odette’s abandonment show in her eyes. Ileana and Mick still looked worked up over losing their home. Everyone turned to look at us as we entered. Beatrice and Han, who were sitting next to Spider and Alex, looked happy to see us. The others were more focused on the bad news they had heard than greeting us.
“From the looks on your faces, I get the feeling the bad news just got worse,” River said.
“It depends on your definition of bad news,” I said.
“Oh, God, we’re all going to die,” River said dryly.
“Sounds about right,” I said.
“What is it?” Reaper asked us.
“We found out why Marcus wants Clare…and what he’s preparing for,” Daniel said.
He held up the map and the drawing. Reaper took the documents from Daniel and looked at it for a long moment. He finally looked up at Daniel, to be certain we weren’t playing a prank on him. Daniel nodded and Reaper went back to staring at the picture. Jackson, impatient as a rule, was not happy with the staring. He stood and came over to tower over Reaper’s shoulder, so he could get a look as well.
“Is that all?” Jackson asked, pointing at the picture of the dark mass. “Marcus is going through all this trouble for that?”
“We think so,” Daniel agreed.
“You don’t think this sort of thing is bad?” Reaper asked Jackson, passing the drawing off the River, so she and the others could look as well.
“Don’t you read books?” Jackson asked. “The good guys always save the day before the end of the world. The bigger the plan for world domination, the harder the bad guy goes down.”
“That’s very reassuring, and oddly optimistic of you,” Reaper said “but let’s pretend like we haven’t stopped him yet.”
“What about Sevier?” I asked. “Are you going to pick him up and see what he knows?”
“Yes,” Reaper said.
He looked at Sara then Moira, who was sitting at the end of the table. Moira barely glanced at the picture of the darkness. She did not fear it as the others feared it.
“Can you two go invite Sevier to a conversation?” Reaper asked the pair.
“Do you want me to ask nicely?” Moira asked. Her red eyes were alight with cold eagerness, though her face was impassive, as always.
“Just get him here alive,” Reaper said.
“I will,” Moira agreed.
Sara held out her hand to Moira, and they disappeared. I had a more pressing question beyond the end of the world. I wanted to understand why the ship suddenly felt so small.
“Who are all these people?” I asked, gesturing back at the crowded hall. “Where’d they come from?”
“Our work goes on, even when we’re in Idaho,” Reaper said with a smile. “The end of the war has given a lot of people second chances. They are no longer hunted in the same way…but they feel the weight of Marcus’ planning. They want to help secure their freedom once and for all. People have been joining us at a steady rate since we left.”
“It doesn’t hurt that we’ve got you,” River said to me.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
River looked to King for help. The others in the room who had not spent the past three weeks in Idaho were suddenly looking at me with a secret in their eyes. King, who knew I would appreciate the truth as honestly as he could bring it, spoke up.
“Word’s gotten out, buddy,” King said. “People know you’re not exactly normal. It’s causing quite a turn-out in the Watcher world. The truth of who you are has people picking sides – many of them are picking our side, because you offer them hope.”
I looked at Daniel then at the others for confirmation. Their eyes showed no lie; King was telling the truth. Watchers all around the world were joining the Saints because of me.
“People are joining up because I’m weird?” I asked. “What sense does that make?”
“They’re joining because they think you are the best option to defeat Marcus,” Reaper clarified. “You’re sort of the rallying point for those who wish for an alternative to Marcus. You are a symbol of what can be done without fear and repression. You’re a light to many.”
I stared at Reaper as he finished speaking. His words didn’t take away my confusion. There was no reason any sane Watcher would want to rally around me. I wasn’t even changed. Maybe, if they checked back in twenty years, I would be the sort of person they could stand behind. Right now, I was nothing more than a sixteen-year-old girl, who was fond of sarcasm, dark clothes and back tattoos. I was just a girl who was just trying to find her way in the world.
“That makes no sense,�
� I said.
“Sure it does,” River said.
“How do you figure?” I asked.
“Well, there was your little incident at Lorian’s, where you rode a Nightstalker before jumping off a cliff in the water below, the fact that you pulled Nemesis from the dark – which effectively ended the war and was no small thing to most of us – and the fact that Marcus’ hunt for you was not as secret as he would like. People know he wants you, and they know you are with us…and then there is the work you have been doing for us. You’ve been contributing in ways that many respect you for,” Reaper said.
“And the not-so-hidden fact that you have powers outside of your birthday,” Daniel added.
“So, really, it’s your own fault,” Jackson added.
I looked at them; the people I was closest to. They had a look in their eyes I wasn’t sure I was comfortable with. Was it admiration? A willingness to rally behind me as well? I couldn’t make out the truth of their thoughts, but I knew it was the most unsettling staring I had ever undergone. It was staring with a purpose – my purpose. They were certain I had more to play in the fight than I was willing to admit.
“This is ridiculous,” I said. “And stop staring at me like that. I’m Clare, not some war-cry, speech-making, sword-over-my-head wielding Watcher. I’ll just be satisfied if I can make it to tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to think long-term to be a reason to fight,” Reaper said.
“But it does helps to be hot, doll,” Spider added with a grin.
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Alex said, knowing my fears. “Everyone knows that Reaper and River are in charge of the Saints. No one is asking you to step in and make any speeches. They’re just laying their bets with you, instead of Marcus, which I, for one, am not making complaints about. The more people we have on our side, the better.”
“I guess…” I agreed.
“I think it’s important to think about making a camp somewhere,” River said to Reaper. “The boat is getting a little crowded…and if more volunteer…”
Reaper nodded. “You’re right. We should think about it. Maybe this map can help us with a good staging point for that. We should send out scouts to see what is there.”
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