Shimmer

by Matthew Keith

  Chapter 28

  Alex and Winston emerged from Winston’s chambers and stepped forward to address the gathering of warriors.

  Every eye was on them, an expectant hush filled Sanctuary. Winston didn’t speak right away. Instead, he stared down on his people with a burning intensity, his eyes roving over them, stopping briefly on each one of them. The silence went on long enough that Alex turned, wondering if perhaps Winston had changed his mind.

  “Our danger is real and imminent,” Winston finally said. “There can be no denying it. Our home is no longer safe.”

  Low murmurs rippled through the crowd, most eyes now on Alex.

  “But we are not beaten,” Winston spoke louder, his great voice carrying the conviction of his words. “We will never be beaten until the last warrior has drawn their last breath—for we know what is at stake!” Now the murmurs changed to excitement. Heads were nodding. “We have always known this day would come.” Different versions of, ‘yes!’ and ‘for Domus!’ were shouted from people in the crowd. “We have even prayed for it,” Winston was now striding back and forth as he spoke. “For we know that it could ultimately lead to the end of our exile. We have always known why we exist as we do! With a single purpose!”

  “To protect the world above!” roared the mass of warriors, their blades held aloft.

  “But we cannot beat the Nocuous,” Winston warned in a low tone. He stopped pacing and scanned the group, taking in every warrior before him. “Not without help.”

  A quiet descended on Sanctuary. Warriors were now looking at Alex, sizing him up.

  “Yes,” Winston confirmed for his people, pointing at Alex. “I speak of this young man and what he can add to our fight, but not just with his blade.” The murmuring began anew, but now with a hopeful note. “We have seen his prowess in battle. We have watched him master his art.”

  Alex almost made a self-deprecating face, knowing that Winston was going a little overboard with his praise. But he knew Winston was singing his praises for a reason. Winston was winning over his peoples’ approval for allowing Alex to go back to the surface.

  “And we have seen him save one of our own,” Winston reminded them solemnly. Warriors were nodding again. “Indeed, it may be possible that we could say we have seen him save one of his own.”

  Alex swallowed, recognizing that what Winston said mirrored the thoughts that had been going through his mind just before the attack. He did feel that he belonged in Domus.

  Winston stepped forward, standing directly before his people.

  “I trust Alexander Croatoan,” he announced boldly. “And I would hope that you trust him, as well.” His eyes swept the crowd again. “All of you. For I intend to allow him to return to the surface—”

  It was as if everyone in Sanctuary had been forcibly pushed back on their heels. They all reeled and then, at once, began shouting questions toward Alex and Winston. Alex met Tabitha’s eyes and knew right away that he should have told her first, privately. Her eyes had already begun welling with tears, her chin quivered.

  “Please!” Winston called out, his hands held over his head. “Please!” But still the warriors carried on. Finally, Winston raised his black blade over his head and bellowed, “Silence!”

  Despite the gravity of the moment, Alex only had eyes for Tabitha. She hadn’t looked away from him, and had begun trembling in her seat. He took a hesitant step in her direction, while at the same time Jonathan reached out to put a comforting hand on her arm.

  Tabitha could take it no more. Shocked stares followed her as she sprung to her feet and hurried for the exit. Her raw pain was such that even the guards at the doors offered no rebuke, but simply pulled open the heavy doors as she rushed past, closing them again behind her without a word.

  Alex took another step after her, but Winston’s single, “No,” rooted him to the spot. He understood. If he left Sanctuary now, Winston might not be able to convince his people that Alex’s intentions were in their best interests.

  Alex was forced to wait as Winston finished explaining the urgency behind sending Alex back to the surface, and then it was left to Alex to explain what steel was, why it was so much better than copper, the way he would obtain the weapons, how he would transport them back to the Under, and then finally he had to find a way to explain the concept of money to everyone in the room.

  It was no easy task. It took hours, but in the end there was grudging agreement among the warriors: they would escort Alex to the Antechamber and wait there until he returned. Upon his arrival, they would plan their attack on Rasmus’s lair.

  Throughout the questioning, Alex nearly went out of his mind with worry. He was sure Tabitha must believe he was gearing up to leave Domus forever, especially after all that had happened at Thrain’s den.

  When the doors finally swung open and the council had ended, Alex was the first one out the doors. He went straight to Tabitha’s home. He ducked his head in and swept the small area with his eyes, knowing right away that she wasn’t there.

  He was halfway out the door again when he heard Sarah say, “Just like my mom and dad.”

  Alex quietly stepped back inside. Sarah was there, lying under a hide blanket with just her eyes peeking out.

  “What?” Alex asked her. “What did you say?”

  “You’re just like my mom and dad,” Sarah revealed her sullen face. “You’re going to go away and never come back.”

  “Oh honey,” Alex replied, surprised to hear his voice crack. Did she really think that? Did everyone? “No, Sarah,” he assured her, kneeling down next to her and smoothing her hair back. “No, that is not what is going to happen.”

  “My mom and dad never thought it would happen to them either,” Sarah answered. She pulled the covers back over her mouth. “They were always trying to be nice. To help people. Just like you are doing now. And then they were gone. They were gone forever because they were trying to be nice.”

  Alex rubbed his eyes. He was so tired. “Sarah,” he rested his hand on her shoulder. “I never told you this, but my mom went away too. One day, she was gone. Just like yours.”

  Sarah shifted under the blanket, her entire face coming back into view. “She did?”

  “She did,” Alex nodded. “And then my dad disappeared too. He came here, but I didn’t know that. And I was scared and alone, and all I could think to do was find him and bring him home. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing him too.”

  Sarah listened with wide eyes.

  “So I came here after him because he was the only person left in my life that I loved,” Alex continued. Sarah shifted again, sitting up a little. “But now I know you and your sister, and Jonathan and Abner, and so many other people here—and now I care about all of you, too. I care about you a lot. And I won’t leave you, Sarah. I will come back, because just like you, I know what it feels like to be abandoned by someone you lo—”

  Alex couldn’t get the last word out because Sarah flung herself forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him around the neck so hard he almost choked.

  “The lake,” Sarah whispered.

  “What?” Alex disentangled himself from her small arms.

  “She’ll be at the lake. It’s her special place.”