Rebirth: The Sacred Isle Series

by K. E. Miller

  “Shaylee?”

  “Yeah. I’m okay.” She looked at me and smiled. It was the first time since she’d sat down at breakfast that I felt she was really aware of her surroundings.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  I saw the guilty look in her eyes and realized that my concern was more evident than I wanted it to be.

  “This morning I felt safe,” she explained. “Jaden and I had fun just like old times. Then at breakfast it hit me just how different things are.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault,” she said. “You didn’t give me these crazy dreams that make it impossible for me to sleep through the night. I know everyone’s worried about me.”

  “Yes, we are,” I confirmed.

  “I…” she broke off. She turned and looked towards the door. “Did you hear that?” she asked.

  I listened for a moment, but heard nothing.

  “No,” I told her.

  “You don’t hear it?” she asked, standing, her eyes still locked on the other end of the room.

  I also stood and followed her gaze. The room looked normal. I couldn’t sense any presence. I strained my ears, but heard nothing. I was beginning to wonder if the lack of sleep was getting to Shaylee, when she shut her eyes and put her hands over her ears.

  “Make it stop!” she shouted.

  “Shaylee, it’s okay,” I said, attempting to pry her hands away from her ears. “There’s nothing there.”

  It was like she couldn’t hear me over whatever it was she was hearing. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and put her hands down. I held on to her shoulders and felt that she was shaking.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “No,” she replied. Her voice broke and tears began falling down her cheeks. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her and let her cry into my shoulder. “Why do these things keep happening to me?” she sobbed.

  I stood there holding her, unable to answer. I had no idea what had just happened or how to keep it from happening again. Although I was concerned about the effect it had on her, I was more concerned by who or what had caused it.

  The bell rang throughout the school. I loosened my embrace and took half a step back so I could look at her. She wiped her eyes and attempted to smile. It didn’t reach her eyes and I could easily see her fear.

  For the first time I was glad everything would be over in a little over a day. Ever since I had found her, I’d been dreading the day I would have to answer all of her questions. My fear had stemmed from not knowing who she really was and not knowing how she would react when she finally learned the truth.

  Now, I was only concerned about keeping her alive long enough to ask those questions. It didn’t matter if she was angry and hated me or if the truth brought us closer together. Her safety was the only thing I cared about. I silently prayed that we would make it through her Transition in one piece.

  ***

  I followed her around for the rest of the day. I was grateful no one questioned my unusual presence outside of her classes. At lunch she’d been so quiet that concern had been permanently etched on Jaden’s face. I’d debated telling her about the library, but I didn’t want to risk upsetting Shaylee.

  When the bell rang after her last class, she said she really wanted to change out of her uniform before dinner. I walked her up to her room and waited outside. I paced three strides each direction as I waited for her to return. I looked up to see Jaden walking toward me a few minutes after Shaylee had disappeared into their room.

  “What happened?” she asked.” At lunch you seemed almost helpless.”

  “Something happened when we were in the library,” I admitted. I told her everything that had happened since breakfast. The concern in her eyes grew with every word. I could tell that she was upset by our inability to protect Shaylee from this new invisible threat. Finishing the story I added, “She wouldn’t tell me what she’d heard.”

  “You think it’s the Mage that’s tracking her,” Jaden said, guessing my theory.

  “Yes, but what I don’t understand is what he wishes to accomplish. I would have thought there would be an open attempt on her life, not this. I don’t even know what to say to her.”

  “I’ll talk to her,” Jaden replied and went into the room.

  Her abrupt departure caught me off guard. I guessed it was because her lack of sleep was catching up to her. When this was over, we all needed a vacation just to catch up on sleep. I waited patiently, not sure if Jaden or Shaylee would be the one to emerge from the room.

  A few minutes later, Shaylee emerged from their room and we walked to dinner. She was quiet, but she looked more in tune with her surroundings than she had all day.

  At dinner, I picked at my food. I watched Shaylee as she ate. My tension gave me a headache as I waited for any indication that she was under attack.

  “Jaden said she isn’t hungry,” she said, looking up from her food. “She stayed to take a nap.”

  “She probably wants to work on her project later,” I replied, hating that I had to continue lying to her.

  After dinner, I left Shaylee in her room and noticed that Jaden was still sleeping. I hoped Shaylee left her alone so she would be as rested as possible while she patrolled the school later.

  I made my way down to the first floor and began a sweep of the building. Even though I knew Shaylee could be attacked without any obvious assailant in the area, I still felt better checking the entire building. I returned to their room after a few hours of wandering the halls. I knocked quietly and Jaden opened the door, slipping noiselessly out into the corridor.

  “She’s been asleep for about an hour. It’s been quiet so far. No dreams,” she said.

  I nodded, not in any way reassured. She turned and walked briskly to the stairs. I put my back against the wall and sank to the floor. We were so close to Shaylee’s Transition. Less than a day left before everything would change. Even if nothing happened, I would be forced to tell her the truth so that I could protect her.

  The night passed slowly, Shaylee never making any sounds that would hint at distress. I hoped her night was truly as peaceful as it sounded from outside her door.

  Chapter 18

  Jaden

  The dorm had an eerie silence to it, when I returned shortly before the alarm in my room was due to go off. I walked as quietly as I was able, wanting to avoid the echo of my footsteps on the wood floor.

  When I reached the third floor, I saw Aaron sitting on the floor outside my room. His head was leaning against the wall and his eyes were closed. I approached him and his eyes popped open.

  “Sleeping on the job?” I teased, already knowing there was no way he would fall asleep while guarding Shaylee.

  “Hardly,” he replied.

  “Go get cleaned up,” I suggested. “We’ll meet you at breakfast.”

  I let myself into my room, silently. Shaylee was a tangle of limbs and blankets, but otherwise looked peaceful. I grabbed my uniform and a towel and went into the bathroom. Taking a shower usually calmed me and relieved my stress, but this time I found no comfort. This was the day we had been waiting for and somehow the shower only increased my agitation. I left the bathroom with shaky hands.

  Shaylee gave me a small smile as she went into the bathroom. I packed my bag for class and began making a list of things I wanted to pack later. I knew there was a very good chance that when I left this room later today, I would never again set foot in it.

  Shaylee emerged from the bathroom, her wet hair in a pony tail.

  “Shay, you should really have let me do your hair,” I told her. “It’s your birthday. You should have beautiful hair.”

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head, ignoring my complaints.

  I pretended not to notice when Aaron lightly kissed her forehead when he got to breakfast. He whispered, “Happy Birthday” into her ear. Aaron and I worked hard to keep things light through the meal and before I knew it, I was off to first period.


  ***

  As the day progressed, I paid less and less attention to my classes. My thoughts revolved around the events that would be occurring in just a few short hours. I feared for the safety of my friend, but I was determined not to allow that fear to get the best of me.

  After my last class, I practically sprinted up to my room. I threw my bag down and started setting up. I had just finished setting out all the make-up and hair products that I would need when Aaron and Shaylee came through the door.

  “No,” I said, walking over and pushing Aaron back out the door. “This is girl time. We’ll see you at seven.”

  I allowed him one last look at Shaylee before I shut the door in his face. I turned around and saw the look of shock on Shaylee’s face.

  “Was that really necessary?” she asked. “Is this really necessary?”

  She gestured to the mess I had created.

  “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just ask me that,” I told her. “Now get into the shower and make it quick because I only have about an hour to beautify you.”

  I pushed Shaylee into the bathroom and shut the door before she could protest. I waited until I heard the shower running before I changed my clothes. I decided on black slacks and a forest green blouse. Normally, I would have completed the ensemble with a pair of designer heels and some nice jewelry, but on this occasion, I decided to be more sensible. I put on a pair of black flats and decided against any jewelry.

  Instead of the black clutch I usually favored on special occasions, I grabbed the largest purse I had from my closet and started packing. Thanks to the list I’d made earlier, I was able to quickly pack everything I thought Shaylee or I might need in the coming days.

  After packing, I wrote a note to my grandmother. I needed her to know why I was doing what I was doing and I hoped that she would clean the remainder of our belongings out of the room. I ran out into the hallway and deposited the letter in the mail slot before returning to my room.

  The bathroom door opened just as I was closing the main door. Shaylee shuffled out of the steamy bathroom wrapped in a towel. I could see the resignation on her face as she waited for my instructions.

  “Here, put this on,” I said. I handed her a dress and walked away before she could protest. Shaylee walked back into the bathroom

  A few minutes later she reemerged wearing the knee-length, sleeveless dress I’d bought for her. The dress was sheer with a black slip and gracefully flowed outward from the waist down. I smiled as I realized that it was even more perfect for her than I had imagined it would be.

  I pulled her from the bathroom to a waiting chair and began working on her makeup.

  “Jade, where did this dress come from?” she asked.

  I had known it would only be a matter of time before she wanted to know.

  “I bought it in New York the last time I was there. It’s part of your birthday present.”

  “Part?” she asked, sounding disturbed.

  “Now don’t start with me,” I said to her. “You only turn eighteen once. When I bought this dress I had no intention of making you wear it tonight, but Aaron deserves to see what a beautiful girl he’s got. So you are going to wear it without complaint and you will graciously accept all of your other gifts without worrying that you are somehow undeserving of the love we have for you.”

  Shaylee sat silently for several minutes and allowed me to work.

  “Thank you,” she eventually said. “The dress is beautiful.”

  “You’re welcome,” I replied, hoping the night didn’t end in disaster.

  ***

  As I drove down the highway, I did my best to keep up with traffic. I had an overwhelming urge to turn the car around and go straight back to school, but I fought it. I knew it would make no difference where Shaylee was. When eight o’clock came she would begin the Transition.

  I bit my lip to keep myself from talking. Shaylee had been quiet ever since I’d carefully curled her long hair and put her in thin-strapped heels. I knew if I started talking, I would ramble on nervously to fill the silence between us. Instead of talking, I tapped the steering wheel and silently wished that both of us had the strength to get though whatever was about to happen.

  After what seemed like hours, instead of the forty minutes the trip actually took, I pulled into Andrew’s driveway. I felt oddly relieved by the lights in the windows and the two other cars in the driveway.

  I glanced at the clock on my dashboard and saw that we were right on time. We got out of the car and walked up to the two-story house, which had obviously been built in the earlier days of Salem.

  “Shay,” I said, pausing at the door. “I want you to know that you are my best friend and I love you. No matter what happens tonight, I will always love and protect you.”

  I turned away from the confusion on Shaylee’s face and opened the door. Aaron and Andrew were standing in the foyer waiting for us.

  “Happy Birthday!” they said in unison as we entered the house.

  Andrew was dressed much nicer than usual in khaki pants and a pale blue shirt. I saw the carefully hidden stress in his eyes and hoped that Shaylee didn’t notice it as well. As for Aaron, he looked handsome in black slacks and a black shirt.

  He stepped forward and kissed Shaylee. It was the first time I’d ever seen him outright kiss her and judging by the look on Shaylee’s face it was the first time she’d been outright kissed by him. She nervously looked at Andrew as she stepped away from Aaron. Andrew gave her a smile, obviously encouraging the relationship.

  Aaron took her hand and led her into the living room.

  “Presents first,” he said.

  He sat down on the sofa, pulling her down with him. I followed and sat my bag down next to my chair. I wanted to keep it close, just in case. I watched as Shaylee eyed the presents waiting on the coffee table.

  “This is from me,” Andrew said as he handed Shaylee the largest gift on the table.

  He sat down on the sofa opposite of where Shaylee and Aaron sat as Shaylee struggled to hold the heavy gift.

  Surprise crossed Shaylee’s face as she unwrapped the book. She placed the torn wrapping paper on the table and carefully set the book on her lap. The book’s binding looked ancient, but I knew it wouldn’t come apart.

  “It belonged to your parents,” Andrew explained. “Where they came from it’s customary to pass it on when the first-born turns eighteen.”

  “My parents? You always told me no one knew who my parents were.”

  I glanced at Andrew. He looked calm at first glance, but I could see how uncomfortable he was.

  He took a deep breath and said, “There were some things you weren’t ready to hear. I was just trying to protect you.”

  The floor creaked in the kitchen, drawing my attention. I allowed my senses to take over and felt no danger. I relaxed. It was an old house and probably made strange noises. Then anger I felt emanating from Shaylee brought my attention back to the conversation.

  “There are things I wasn’t ready to hear?” Shaylee asked.

  Her voice was too calm. It didn’t match the anger I was feeling from her. I glanced at Aaron and the look he gave me said he was well aware of Shaylee’s anger.

  “You didn’t think I needed to know who my parents were? You didn’t think I was ready to hear that you have their things? What else am I ready to hear today that I wasn’t ready to hear yesterday?”

  By the time Shaylee had finished speaking, her voice was sharp with anger. I could see the effort she was using trying to keep her emotions under control.

  “Shaylee, I was sworn to secrecy,” Andrew said. “I’m so sorry that you’re upset I kept things from you, but you must understand that I only did what I thought was best. I had to protect you.”

  Shaylee made no reply. She looked down at the book again and I could see her hands shaking on its cover. Aaron took another present off the table and handed it to her. Her hands steadied as she took it.

  “This i
s from me,” he said. “You’ll know how to use it when the time comes.”

  Shaylee unwrapped the second book. This one was much smaller than the first and considerably newer. She placed it on top of the first.

  “A spell book,” she whispered.

  There was no surprise in her voice, as I had expected. She stated it as a matter-of-fact, as though it were the most natural thing in the world to be given a spell book. I wondered about her reaction. If I had lived my whole life thinking I was human and someone had given a spellbook to me, I would have thought it was a joke.

  Aaron picked up the last present on the table. He put the small box into Shaylee’s hand and said, “This is from Jaden and I.”

  Shaylee unwrapped her last gift. I couldn’t help smiling at the memory of all the planning that had gone into it. Shaylee opened the jewelry box and stared at the necklace. I didn’t need to see inside the box to know that she was looking at a round amethyst pendant set in white gold. Aaron and I chose amethyst specifically because of its inherent magical properties.

  Aaron picked up the necklace and put it around Shaylee’s neck.

  “It will protect you,” he said.

  “Thank you,” Shaylee replied, all the anger gone from her voice. “It’s beautiful.”

  Andrew got up and went into the dining room, muttering something about the cake. I looked over at the clock. It was approaching seven twenty. I controlled the fresh wave of fear that hit me and watched Andrew carry in the cake.

  Together we sang to Shaylee and watched as she blew out all eighteen candles with one breath. It was quiet as we ate. Andrew and Aaron pretended to talk about football.

  I ate in silence and watched Shaylee do the same. She seemed far away and I wondered what was going through her mind. I also wondered what she would be like when the night was over.

  Just after seven forty-five, it was becoming obvious to me that Aaron and Andrew were having difficulty keeping up their fake sports conversation. Just as I was about to change the subject for them, I heard a noise from the kitchen. Without thinking, my senses went directly to the kitchen.