“If you’re a liability, it means you’re a weak point, a disadvantage to someone or something,” Lily says. This time she speaks a little louder and more confidently.
“Lily, who is your sister?” Ms. Samson asks. She turns and surveys the room.
Confusion washes over Lily’s face. “Um, she’s right back there,” she says, pointing. It’s evident they’re identical twins, so I can see why Lily’s a bit confused by Ms. Samson’s question. “Her name is Cassandra.”
“And are you the eldest twin?” Ms. Samson asks, making her way back up to the front of the class.
“No,” Lily replies. “Cassandra was born before me.”
“So you are the reflective and cautious one,” Ms. Samson says. “This is very important. You will be the one with more up here.” She taps her head. A few of the girls let out muffled giggles.
“Hey!” Cassandra protests.
“Cassandra,” Ms. Samson says, turning her gaze to the back of the class. “You will be the brave one, the one who will take the lead in a battle. But you need your sister because you will also have a tendency to take too many risks, to be too rash. You must balance each other at all times, for you are responsible for a shared soul.”
Okay. This woman is a complete wacko. What the hell is wrong with this place? Do they hire from local mental health institutions? And what does any of this have to do with gym class?
Ms. Samson turns, walks over the computer, and types something. She whirls back around and, using her walking stick, points at the sentence projected across the whiteboard. My heart misses a beat as I read it:
YOU ARE THE SEERS.
Chapter 13
“What we do in this class is not to be discussed with any other students here at Beaconsfield or elsewhere. Not under any circumstances. Is that clear?” Ms. Samson says, surveying the class. “As far as the other students in this school are concerned, this is simply a girls’ physical education and health class. This includes your boyfriends or, if you are so inclined, your girlfriends. Your very lives may depend on this information being kept secret.”
I’m still staring at the words on the board, and at one in particular. SEERS.
And what is this stuff about sharing a soul?
The entire class is murmuring. They’re likely wondering how to get away from this crazy woman. I look around. Every single girl in the class has an identical twin. Except for me. And Mina.
I glance over at Mina. Her face is a perfect picture of fury. She looks like a volcano that’s about to explode.
“What are you talking about? This is crazy,” she snaps, standing up and gripping the sides of her desk tightly as she speaks. “I want the principal to come in here because you’re delusional. This is supposed to be a gym class. G-Y-M.”
Ms. Samson leans back against the wall, her arms folded across her chest, watching Mina. A tiny smile tugs at the corners of her lips.
“This is crazy,” Mina repeats, this time speaking more to the class than to Ms. Samson. She looks around at all of us, even me. I’m shocked to see she’s shaking and seems nervous. “We can’t just let her say all of this wacked-out stuff to us.”
Unbelievably, I feel for Mina. This is how I felt when Raphael grabbed me in London (well, in the London that is the Place-in-Between) and told me all that crazy stuff about demons, Limbo, and Jade.
Except it all doesn’t seem quite as crazy anymore. Not after what I saw, and was chased by, down there. I don’t like the talk about twins sharing one soul and stuff, either, but I want to know more. If there’s anything that Raphael’s taught me, it’s that shutting out information just because I don’t want to hear it is stupid … and dangerous. Plus, if this woman is some sort of expert on Seers, she might be able to tell me more about what’s happened to Jade … and how to get back to her.
“Are you quite done?” Ms. Samson asks. She unfolds her arms and walks slowly toward Mina, the walking stick thudding heavily on the floor in time with each footfall, as if to signal her approach. Mina is still standing, her hands firmly clamped on either side of her desk. It’s like watching a lion slowly stalking its prey.
Ms. Samson stops. “I am sorry about what happened to your sister and mother, Mina. I know it’s left you scared and powerless.”
My blood turns to ice. I look at Mina. The colour has drained from her face, leaving her skin an ashy grey. She opens and closes her mouth several times, like a goldfish that’s been tossed out of its bowl. No sound comes out.
“Your sister’s death has left you with half a soul. And, make no mistake, a Seer with half a soul is in an incredibly vulnerable and precarious place. But deep down, in the very pit of your half-soul, you already knew this. Didn’t you, Mina?”
I watch as big, fat tears cling to the bottom lashes of Mina’s eyes like reluctant suicides, then drop and roll down her cheeks. Her bottom lip is quivering. She slowly nods her head.
“Stop blaming yourself for what happened. It was solely your mother’s decision. We’re here to keep you safe. Or, at least as safe as we can under the present circumstances.” She raps the walking stick loudly against the floor. As if on cue, Mina crumples into her seat with her fists tightly balled at her sides. She keeps her head down, her hair hiding her face, but I know she’s crying. I can see the slight heaving of her shoulders.
By the time we leave Ms. Samson’s class, my head is reeling. Apparently, not all twin girls are Seers. She confirmed some of what Raphael told me: Seers are genetically connected to this chick called Lilith, who was apparently Adam’s wife before Eve. She’s gotten a bad rap over the centuries because she held supernatural powers and led armies into battle, refusing to be subservient to men. Good for her, right? But because she used her girl power without shame and men could not control her, they made up nasty rumours about her. Rumours that she was a demon, a vampire, and an evil whore. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: not a lot has changed between guys and girls over the years. Kind of depressing. Instead of spreading this stuff on social media, guys back in the day wrote trashy rumours on scrolls and cave walls. Nice.
Protectors are people chosen to trace the lineage of Seers around the world and to, well, protect us. Usually there are no more than a couple dozen Seer twins born in a generation, if that. Many of the Protectors are actually older Seers. I guess they go into protecting, instead of retirement.
Ms. Samson even told us that the witch trials came about because of Seers. People thought these young women had cloned themselves to spread more of their evil, demonic powers. Powers like warning them about impending plagues, et cetera. Seems to me they should’ve been thanking the Seers, not throwing them in boiling water and burning them alive at the stake.
I’m so deep in thought about all of this I don’t even notice that someone has fallen into step with me.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Raphael says.
I look up, startled. He smiles at me. I smile back, mesmerized by the deep green of his eyes; they’re the colour of spring grass. I’ve never seen eyes as green and vibrant as his. Not even on a cat.
Self-consciously, I smooth my hair with one hand.
“Just came from Ms. Samson’s class,” I say. “Interesting woman.”
“I know all of this must be pretty overwhelming,” he says. “But it will become easier to deal with the information you’re getting.”
“How do you know about all of this?” I stop walking and look him directly in the eye. “We’ve been practically threatened with beheading if we tell any other students what goes on in that class. What makes you so different than everyone else at this school?”
“I can’t tell you that, Jazz,” Raphael answers. He looks down for a moment, and I swear I see a glimmer of longing in his eyes. He wants to tell me more; I can feel his desire to, even though it’s unsaid.
His head snaps up and he looks straight at me. “You’re not
supposed to be able to do that with me,” he says. His voice is hard but also tinged with something else. Fear? Panic?
“Do what?” I ask. I’m genuinely surprised. I haven’t done anything that I know of. And Raphael has never spoken to me this way before.
“Hello, you two,” Ms. Samson interrupts. She’s standing just to the side of us, running her fingers along the beads of one of the many necklaces adorning her neck. “Jasmine, may I speak with you?” she asks.
I look at Raphael. He nods at me. “Sorry,” he says. “I guess I’m just a bit off today. Go ahead. We’ll speak later.” He smiles, clearly trying to reassure me about what just happened. I don’t feel better, though. Instead, I get the feeling that something just changed between us forever.
Chapter 14
“You saw Jade the other night?” Ms. Samson asks. We’re back in her classroom. She’s closed the door behind us.
I sit on top of one of the desks and let my knapsack slide off my shoulders onto the chair behind me. “Yeah,” I reply. “How do you know?”
Ms. Samson comes and sits on top of the desk across from me. It’s a nice gesture; it makes us seem equal. Not many teachers would do something like that.
“Raphael told me. I take it he was there with you?” she asks.
I nod. “He saved me from the creatures … the demons or whatever. But I left Jade there…. Is she a lost soul?” As soon as I ask this question, tears blur my vision, and I quickly look down at my hands. I don’t really know this lady, and certainly don’t want to be crying in front of her.
“Raphael didn’t save you, Jasmine,” she says. “He can’t save you. He can guide you and guard you to a degree, but you saved yourself down there. You just need to remember how.”
I look up at her. “Believe me,” I say, “I didn’t save myself. The last thing I remember is that I was about to be some demon’s dinner. Raphael definitely saved me.” I can’t help smiling at the sound of his name.
Ms. Samson frowns at me. “Raphael is supposed to be your guide right now until we can find out what is happening with Jade. But …” She regards me carefully. “I am not sure it’s a good idea.”
“Why?” I ask. “He’s helped me a lot with all of this.”
She regards me carefully. “You’re a Seer. You mustn’t let feelings develop for Raphael. He is your guide, your guardian. That’s all.”
My face goes hot. How does she know? Is she a Protector? Or am I so transparent with my feelings that I might as well have I heart Raphael scrawled across my forehead?
“We’re just friends,” I lie. “Sometimes he even gets on my nerves.”
Ms. Samson watches me for a moment, the brown fingers of her right hand delicately tracing one of her beaded necklaces.
“Fine,” she says. I know she doesn’t believe me. “You likely won’t be alone with him again, anyhow. Tonight you, Raphael, Cassandra, and Lily will make an attempt to return to the Place-in-Between to rescue your sister.”
My heart skips a beat. “Jade? But she’s dead, isn’t she?”
“She can’t be, or you wouldn’t be so powerful. Mina’s powers are almost non-existent because her sister is dead. No, the other half of your soul still lives.”
“Then why is she in Limbo?” I ask.
Ms. Samson sighs. “From what Raphael said, it appears she might be trapped there. Did you have contact with your sister at any time whilst you were in the Place-in-Between?”
“Of course,” I say. “I saw her on the staircase, right before …” I trail off, remembering the sickening thud of bodies and pained screams as people tumbled down the station’s stairs.
“I know that you saw her, but did you physically come in contact? Did you touch?”
I nod. “She grabbed my hand as she began to fall.” I pause for a moment. “But I couldn’t hold on. There were too many bodies.” My bottom lip quivers as I think about Jade’s face when we were separated from one another on the stairwell.
“I’m sorry to keep asking you about this,” Ms. Samson says, her voice softening. “But her hand? Did it feel like flesh and blood? Was it warm?”
I’m confused. “Of course. But we were still pulled apart, and I lost her. That’s when Raphael grabbed me and took me away.”
Ms. Samson gets up and walks toward the front of the room, her walking stick clicking in unison with each footstep.
“The bodies you felt on the stairs were nothing more than energy, negative energy, emanating from the spirits that are stuck in the Place-in-Between. Whether they are afraid or angry, their denial of death keeps them trapped there. Of course, this energy can be very strong, especially when it is collective. The molecular composition of the lost souls and inorganic matter in the Place-in-Between is different than any state of matter on Earth. It’s closest to plasma, but of a higher density. You can interact with them, but you will feel a difference.”
Ms. Samson stops for a moment. I feel her hesitating. She’s not sure if she should tell me everything. “But your sister Jade is there, in the Place-in-Between, in body, not just in spirit. And we really don’t know how this happened. Regardless, the darker forces seem to be holding her hostage.”
Then it hits me. Jade has spent all these years trapped in that horrible place, unable to return home. I think about the nights I’ve fallen asleep to the sound of Mom’s quiet weeping in the bedroom next to mine. Jade’s disappearance did such damage to Mom’s health; the doctors always suspected her lupus was triggered and worsened by the stress of my sister’s abduction. But at least Mom and I had each other. What has Jade gone through?
“I know this is a lot to take in,” Ms. Samson says, interrupting my thoughts. “And we have no idea how they are keeping her with them. But you must try to go back down tonight and bring her back. Jade needs to be here in the land of the living.”
“I don’t know how I got there, though,” I say. Every cell in my body is screaming with fear, and I don’t want to go back to face those creatures. But in my heart I know I have to. Jade needs me.
“We suspect travelling on the subway did it,” Ms. Samson says. “The underground systems that extend under the great cities of the world have long been used as gateways by demons when they become strong enough to cross over. Before that, it was caves, crypts, and tunnels. Perhaps it is because these things are closer to the Underworld. You see, the Place-in-Between is but a layer in the fabric; there are places much darker and more dangerous. The way you can get there and back is to visualize where you want to be. All Seers can do this. That’s why we’re sending Lily and Cassandra with you. For extra support in case you are attacked, and because they’ve done well when their concentration and powers of visualization were tested in class.”
Ms. Samson’s eyes grow serious. “What you are about to do tonight is extremely risky, Jasmine. We must never lose twin Seers at the same time to demons, but we need to send Lily and Cassandra with you. Together, they are stronger as a pair. All of you are stronger when you are with your twin.”
“What happens if twin Seers are killed at the same time?” I ask. She hasn’t mentioned that Jade and I will also be together, though that is precisely what she’s thinking. I can read this thought clearly in her mind.
“Demons can inhabit human bodies, if they become strong enough,” Ms. Samson says. “But they need to take over one whole soul in order to do so. If both Seers are killed at the same time, they can drain the shared soul of its powers and inhabit the bodies.”
I think about this for a moment. “You mean, like, evil Seers would be walking around? Demon Seers?” In my mind I’m imagining just what this might mean. A super demonic, mean girl? It’s not pretty.
Ms. Samson slowly nods. “Yes, demon Seers with the power to read human minds, to dream prophetically, and most importantly, with the ability to destroy supernatural beings that belong to the forces of good, as well as those that b
elong to the darkness. I wish you luck and strength tonight, Jasmine. I have no idea what might await you in the Place-in-Between, but you mustn’t let fear or other negative emotions rule your thoughts. Remember, that is what makes the dark forces strong.”
Then Ms. Samson gets up, walks to her desk, and sits down in front of an enormous pile of marking. And, just like that, she becomes an ordinary teacher again. As she picks up her red pen to begin scrawling comments on students’ work, I grab my knapsack and silently leave, hoping I will live to see her tomorrow.
Chapter 15
Raphael messages all three of us with instructions to meet him at seven o’clock outside Bay Station. I was hoping to bump into him after leaving Ms. Samson’s class, just to talk to him about everything, but wasn’t able to find him anywhere. I couldn’t help being disappointed. I know I’m not supposed to have feelings for him, but really, what harm is there in me having a little crush? I don’t understand why Ms. Samson is so freaked out about it. A guy as hot as Raphael isn’t going to go for someone like me anyway. Even if I am kind of a superhero.
Before I leave the apartment, I give Mom a massive hug and kiss. After all, I may never see her again. This nearly starts me blubbering, especially when I think of Mom dealing with the loss of another daughter. I know that would kill her. Literally.
On the flip side, if we are successful, I won’t be coming back alone. The possibility of returning Jade to Mom makes the danger I’m about to face more than worth it.
“What is all of this hugging me like a boa constrictor about?” she asks, laughing. Her brown eyes sparkle; she’s getting healthier by the day. “Did you do something wrong in school? Should I expect a call any minute?”
“I just want you to know how much I love you,” I say, my throat tightening. “How lucky I feel to have such a great mom.”
“I’m lucky as well,” she replies, hugging me back. “Now go and meet your friends. What did you say their names are?”
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