The Prophecy Of Hope

by Kelly Hall

  “You and Jarreth?” She wasn’t sure what to feel about him being so far away. He had been called to serve their Huntress, and that was a true honor.

  He gave a nod. “And Aziel.”

  “I can’t go too?” she asked in a soft voice.

  Canter could tell she was disappointed and a little suspicious. “No, I’m sorry.”

  She looked down at her hands, which were wringing together. “If you do end up killing Grady, will you promise me you’ll make it quick?”

  Canter sighed. “I’m not killing Grady. I’m serious. It’s about Talia’s sister. I wouldn’t lie to you, Katie. You’re my girl.”

  “Naiads? Aren’t they like lethally irresistible sex monsters?”

  Canter laughed. “I think so. But you have nothing to worry about. I’m not going to let anything happen. I’m only interested in one girl.”

  About that time, the door opened up, and Jarreth stuck his head in. “Are you ready?”

  “Get out!” shouted Katie as she picked up her shirt off the bed and held it in front of her.

  “Dude, knock,” said Canter, sitting up as Katie pulled her shirt over her head behind him.

  Jarreth didn’t let the situation deter him. “Sorry, geez. I didn’t think you two would be making out. I’ve been getting my head bitten off.”

  “I told him to knock,” said a voice behind him, and as Jarreth stepped aside, Delilah came into the room. “Sorry, guys. I didn’t take the news as well as you, apparently.”

  Katie smoothed down her hair, and Canter put a pillow over his lap as Delilah continued. “Can you believe she’s only taking the guys? What if one of us wanted that mission? Why not make the boys stay home and have one big, girl-power trip? I’d be all for it.”

  “You think Rebekah’s being sexist?” asked Canter with laughter in his voice.

  “I’m just saying, she could have considered us. It would be better than these two going off to be around those naiads.”

  Katie shrugged. “I trust him.”

  “It’s not a matter of trust. Naiads lure men to them. It’s their aura. They take whatever they want, and these two will have no choice.”

  Canter gave Delilah a hard look. “You’re not helping, and besides, they are not like that. They can be very respectful, and it’s not my first run-in with them. Jarreth’s either.”

  Jarreth gave him a warning glare, urging him not to snitch, but thankfully, Rebekah walked in and let him off the hook. “Are you guys ready? The plane is gassed up and ready to go.”

  Delilah rolled her eyes. “Yeah, the guys are ready.”

  Rebekah noted the bitter tone. “Look, ladies. I understand that you want to go, but I really hope we’re not gone long at all, and I need the strongest crew I had.”

  “Let it go,” said Jarreth to her under his breath.

  “I understand,” said Delilah. “I just hope that sometime, you’ll ask me and Katie to go and leave some of these boys at home.”

  Rebekah smiled. It wasn’t being left behind that bothered Delilah, but the fact that Rebekah was taking an all-male crew. “Noted.”

  Canter got up and grabbed his pack, which was all ready to go as usual, and then they filed out into the hallway. “You’re sure you’re not going to hunt Grady?” Katie asked Rebekah. “You’re not trying to protect my feelings, are you?”

  Rebekah turned and put her hand on Katie’s shoulder with a reassuring smile. “No, of course not. If I were going to hunt Grady, I’d take you with me as bait.” Rebekah glanced at Canter, and he shook his head.

  Katie was stunned. “Oh.” She wasn’t quite sure what to say as they headed downstairs.

  After stopping in the front room to tell the others goodbye, they walked outside where the car was waiting and found Ignis there to see them off.

  Rebekah didn’t have much to say to him and hoped he wasn’t about to make a scene.

  Instead, Ignis walked over and gave her a hug. “Take care of Tia for me. And call me if you need me.” He pulled away as Rebekah wiped a tear from her eye.

  “I will. I’ll send your love to Talia and explain everything.” She had an empty place in her heart that flooded with emotions for her best friend. She hated having problems with him, but she knew if she didn’t stick to her guns, she’d never learn the truth.

  Rebekah got in the car. Canter kissed Katie goodbye, and then he slid into the seat behind her. Aziel climbed in next, a look of concern shadowing his expression. He gave a wave to Delilah before Jarreth picked her up next to him and kissed her hard.

  Canter smiled seeing Delilah’s leg bend, her foot pointing out as if her toes had curled in her boots.

  When Jarreth pulled away, Delilah waited until he was in the car and leaned in to tell Canter and Aziel goodbye. “I’ll miss you guys. Be safe.” She looked at Rebekah. “Take care of him, please. You know he can’t take care of himself.” They exchanged a smile.

  “Will do,” said Rebekah.

  Delilah stepped back as Ignis shut the door. “Is it always this hard to say goodbye to someone you love?” she asked him.

  Ignis nodded. “Sometimes it’s harder than others.” Especially when things are bad.

  Delilah turned around and reached out for Katie’s hand. She stood there with tears in her eyes and her cheeks wet with the ones who got away from her. “Come on. Lulu has chocolate ice cream, and she’s baking chocolate chip cookies. I think we’re going to need both.”

  Katie took her hand. “I think you’re right.”

  Ignis watched the girls leave and knew that he would make the most of Rebekah being gone, along with that snooping hunter, Canter. He walked toward the chapel. When he was sure no one was looking, he turned to mist and headed to his private library where all the books had been written by him.

  He was only there to see if his suspicions had been correct. He scanned the room, looking over to a book on the desk. Not where I left you. He picked up the most recent retired journal and thumbed through it, knowing he’d already ripped out his opinions of Rebekah’s meeting with Kayne and burned them to ashes. He had chosen to do so since he heard that the Church was going to use that against her. Ignis didn’t want anything, no matter how hidden his journal was, to be sitting around with that kind of information. He had other things to deal with as well, but he would need much more time. As the dinner bell rang, he disappeared, traveling like mist until he reformed in the chapel.

  He wandered back to the house and smelled the sweet and chocolatey scent of Lulu’s cookies. It wasn’t even time for dinner. He shook his head and walked down the hall to the dungeon entrance, and Mace came up and ran right into him. “You didn’t hear the bell?”

  “I’m not interested in cookies, but thanks.”

  “It’s not the only thing you’ve lost interest in,” she said with a harsh tone.

  Ignis had always been flirty with Mace, and while he usually didn’t have a hard time adjusting to his and Talia’s open relationship agreement, he had no desire to mess around since returning home.

  He gave her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

  “Well, I hope whatever it is, you snap out of it soon.”

  Ignis stepped closer and reached out to touch her platinum blond hair. It didn’t have the same shine as Talia’s, but it still flattered Mace. She leaned in to kiss him, but when their lips met, he cut the kiss short and pulled away. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should really get to work.”

  She winked. “If you decide you want a taste of my cookie, you know where to find me.”

  The offering was flattering, and while he usually loved her cookie, with all that was going on with Tia, it just didn’t feel right. The only person he wanted to hold was his Talia.

  He kissed her forehead and walked away.

  Chapter 12

  With all the stress Rebekah was under, the long flight was a welcome time to rest her mind and think of how she could approach Kayne with an option to turn himself in. But
even though she played it out over and over in her head, there was one major flaw in that plan. Kayne would never allow himself to look weak.

  The only other thing she could do was forget about redeeming herself to the Church and hope that her fellowship would stay faithful and realize the Church was the true enemy. They’d already tossed her out. She had no ties to them, other than this final task, which they’d only designed to get her killed. She was determined to do it on that principle alone.

  The pilot announced their approach to the airport and gave them a five-minute warning for landing. She nudged Canter, who had fallen asleep hours ago, and then looked across the aisle at Aziel, who had watched one movie and was nearly done with a second. Jarreth had been on his phone for the past half hour, talking to Delilah after taking a long nap himself.

  Canter yawned. “I didn’t drool, did I?”

  “No,” said Rebekah. “But you do whistle while you snore.”

  “Deviated septum,” he said with an apologetic expression.

  “No, it’s okay. You reminded me of Atticus. Those small things, no matter how ridiculous, help me remember him.”

  “What was he like?” Canter had wondered a lot about Rebekah’s betrothed but didn’t want to tell her what he’d learned just yet.

  “He was brave, strong, and honorable. He liked everything just so, and he was a very good soldier. You remind me of him now and then. Your fighting stance, the lift of your chin, and your posture. Then there’s the way you care so much and how I can tell that being a good hunter is everything to you, like being a soldier was the same for him. He took it seriously.”

  “He sounds like a noble guy. I wish I could have known him.” He wasn’t sure he should say anything to Rebekah. But it also seemed a bit odd keeping that secret to himself. But if Ignis had not told her to protect her and to keep her from hurting, shouldn’t he too?

  Rebekah’s hand landed on his arm, bringing him out of his thoughts. “Are you okay?”

  “I have something I feel like I should tell you, but I’m not sure how you’ll take it.”

  “What is it?”

  “It’s not my secret to tell, really. Not in its entirety.”

  “You read something? In one of the journals?” She inhaled deeply and gave him a look of disappointment.

  “It’s not about what you sent me to find. It’s something else I stumbled on.” He knew if he told her, she’d want to know what he was looking for in that journal. He suddenly regretted saying anything.

  “Tell me.”

  “I asked you about Atticus for a reason.” He paused, but her eyes pressed him on. “I found one of the more recent journals and gave it a peek. I was curious about where his head was at.”

  Rebekah studied Canter’s expression, and the hesitation could only mean one thing. “You read something about me?”

  “No, nothing like that. It’s about me. And Jarreth.” He met her eyes and lowered his voice. “Ignis said something about recognizing the signature of my bloodline.”

  Rebekah sat up straighter in her seat. “That means he knew your ancestor. He has this strange uncanny ability to remember the smell of certain things, like he’s part bloodhound or something. So, who? Did it say?”

  “During the graduation ceremony, when you marked me. He said that I was Atticus’s family.”

  Rebekah smiled. “Then I guess it’s no wonder you seem so familiar.” Before she realized tears had come to her eyes, they were falling down her cheek, and she smiled and wiped them away. “Thank you for telling me that. I don’t understand why he didn’t. What else did it say?”

  “About Jarreth and the Great Hunter.” He narrowed his eyes and looked over at his friend, who was pulling on his lip with his phone to his ear.

  “Now that, he told me.” Rebekah found it odd he’d tell her about one and not the other.

  “He wrote that he didn’t want to upset you, and he thought it was a sign somehow.”

  “I agree. But even if it is by chance, I think it’s pretty wonderful.”

  “Did you tell Jarreth?” He didn’t know if he should.

  Rebekah smiled. “No, I figured it would go to his head.”

  “Look, I need to confess something,” Canter said. “Why I looked in the book to begin with.”

  “I think I know. To see what it said about my infamous date with a certain vampire?” The look on Canter’s face said she had hit the nail on the head. “What did it say?”

  “Nothing. The pages were all ripped out and burned.”

  She nodded. “Good ol’ Ignis. Trying to protect me.” At that moment, the plane landed smoothly and safely, and Rebekah gave Canter a pat on the knee. “You can pick up your search when you return, but please, stick to the plan. I don’t want to make more trouble than necessary.”

  “No problem.” As the plane came to a stop, Canter got to his feet and stretched, feeling like a lot of weight had been lifted from him. He wasn’t proud that he’d snooped, but he felt better doing the right thing. He had vowed his honesty to Rebekah, and that was what he owed her.

  They finished up on the plane, and once they were on the tarmac, Commander Dixon walked over from his car to greet them.

  “I hope you had a good flight,” he said.

  “I hope my friend is still alive,” said Rebekah, walking to the car. There was no use standing around.

  “Yes, she is actually doing a lot better since we brought some pond water. She ate a little too, but her appetite is still weak.”

  “That’s fine. I need to get to her as soon as possible.” She waved the others in. After they climbed into the large SUV, she got into the passenger seat while Dixon got in behind the wheel.

  He reached over and put his hand on her knee. “I’ve made sure to keep your arrival confidential, but I’m afraid there is some news I must tell you before we get there.” Dixon leaned in closer, his voice taking on a soft, intimate tone.

  “Well, go on and tell me,” said Rebekah, angling in her seat to look out the passenger window. “I’m sure I can add it to the long list of shitty news I’ve gotten lately.” She tried not to sound bitter but hoped to deter him from any of his usual sappiness.

  Dixon huffed. He wished Rebekah wasn’t so harsh at times and decided to get right to business. “Elder Wick sent out a letter to all of the commanders. And in the last commanders’ meeting, he mentioned that he was going to choose select hunters from the second-year students who had shown initiative to thrive as great hunters for the Church. He’s about to host a ceremony in a few weeks to mark them early.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” said Canter from the backseat.

  Jarreth agreed. “That’s bullshit.”

  Aziel nodded his head to agree but stayed silent. He wasn’t a marked hunter and knew better than to give his opinions about them, the same way he wouldn’t want their opinions about the Warriors.

  Rebekah knew better than to be outraged, and she waved her hand to calm them down. “It’s never going to happen. They don’t have the capability.”

  “They seem to think they do.” Dixon’s tone was grim.

  “Trust me. They don’t. But there will be repercussions from them not getting their way. We need to be prepared for that.”

  “Yeah, they’re planning a huge ceremony.”

  “Then they’ll have a nice big audience when they look like fools.” Rebekah could imagine Elder Wick’s face when the marking ceremony didn’t work.

  “What happens to the hunters they’ll mark? They won’t heal with the magic?”

  “I’ll talk to Ignis to make sure that no harm comes to the trainees.” She would have to work together with him to ensure those involved were taken care of. The Church was getting greedy, and it was obvious that they had no intentions of seeing their Huntress again or adhering to the agreement they’d made. So then, why should she? Feeling the frustration, she had to focus on one thing at a time. She’d deal with this news later.

  They got to the academy
and took the back entrance, where Rebekah could slip off to the commander’s quarters. Then, after making sure she wouldn’t be seen, she was led down to the dungeon cells where they had Tia locked up.

  They had a large bucket of water sitting in the room with her that was filled with green, stagnant water, and she sat in the back corner slumped against the wall, even though there was a cot for her comfort.

  Her pale skin, that had a purple undertone normally, was a sickly brown shade compared to the way it usually looked. Her hair was a mixture of purple and white, and the color was very subtle compared to her sisters’. She was also the smallest of the four, short and petite like Talia.

  “Tia?” Rebekah walked up to the bars. “I heard you asked for me.” While she had met the youngest sister on various occasions, it had been years since she’d seen her, and in her state, Rebekah wasn’t sure if the naiad would remember her face or not.

  Tia lifted her chin. “Rebekah? Huntress?” Her voice was weak and gravelly as if she was drying out from the inside. She could barely make the Huntress out through her foggy vision.

  Rebekah knelt down so she could get a better look. “Yes, it’s me. What happened to you?”

  “I wandered into a trap, I guess.”

  “A trap?”

  Tia’s head barely moved up and down. “Yes, I called for you. About Ignis.”

  Rebekah felt a sting in her heart. “I’m sorry. I came alone.”

  Tia’s violet eyes lifted and met hers. “Did they kill him?”

  Rebekah thought for a moment she might be talking out of her head. “Kill him? Who?” The girl was not making sense to her. “Let me get you home, and you can tell me all about it.”

  Rebekah turned to Dixon. “Open the cell, and make sure our exit it clear. I need to act fast. She has to be brought back to the water immediately.” Dixon opened his mouth with a look of uncertainty on his face, but Rebekah shook her head. “We have no time for more questions.”

  Dixon didn’t hesitate. He opened the cell, and Rebekah rushed in with Aziel. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

  Rebekah ignored him. “Jarreth, you and Canter should go check the path. I don’t want her to be seen leaving.”