“Are you going to tell me what I don’t want to hear?”
“No, Sophia. I’m going to tell you the truth. I owe that to my mother. And to all the other people in my Family who died trying to keep this knowledge from Marlthas.” Tears glistened in Talitha’s eyes. “My father has spent his whole life studying the stars. When he heard about the eclipse that would announce the arrival of the one to overthrow Shenaya,” she turned to Jethro, “when you told him about it, he decided to calculate when it would happen. Of course, no one believed him when he made his prediction, but that didn’t stop him. He designed a machine using a calendar, some cogs and a few pointer arms to show the movements of the Earth, the moon and the sun to prove his findings. After my Family Patriarch saw how accurate the Predictor was, there was no more doubt. He knew the machine had to be protected from Marlthas – whatever the cost.”
Sceptical of Talitha’s claims, Erin looked over at Seth and was surprised to see avid interest on his face.
“An analogue computer! I knew the Greeks had them. Who would have thought this lot did too.”
“So I can believe her?”
Seth smiled; for once he knew something Erin didn’t. “You can. There’s an analogue computer in the National Archeological Museum in Athens.” He pointed to Talitha. “Let’s listen.”
“But Marlthas heard about the machine and summoned your family to Shenaya. Is that right?” Jethro asked Talitha.
She nodded. “I wasn’t there when my father demonstrated the Predictor to Marlthas. But he did tell me that he cheated. He just couldn’t let Marlthas know how soon that sign was going to be given.”
“I think Marlthas knew he’d been lied to,” Jethro said. “That’s the real reason he invaded Ammarod. He has to find and destroy Namar and his Predictor before this year turns – and everyone connects the eclipse with Gideon’s Prophecy.”
“Before this year turns?” Sophia leaned forward, studying her father’s face.
It was Talitha who answered. “According to my father, next spring there will be a total solar eclipse.”
“Next spring?” Sophia stared at Talitha, who struggled to hold her gaze. “And you’re convinced this is true?”
“My mother died for this. I’m here – a refugee on your mercy. My father and the remainder of my Family are fighting for their lives to protect the Predictor. So many of my friends are dead.”
Sophia stood silent for a full minute, scrutinizing Talitha with her hypnotic eyes. Talitha held her gaze without flinching. At last Sophia nodded. “I believe you.” She turned to her father. “Who would not want to be the mother of the child who destroys Shenaya? You can instruct my maid to start packing my silk dresses for my trip. And, Father, I will not be crossed on that.”
Cheering broke out amongst the Guardians, while the Gefallen jeered.
Jethro smiled, letting out a long sigh of relief. Half a victory was better than no victory, Seth and Erin heard him think. And if anyone can handle appearing in Shenaya dressed as a Norin, it would be Sophia.
Her face beaming with delight, Miriam stood up. “A celebration is called for, I think. Just as well I ordered a lavish meal tonight.” She touched Jethro on the shoulder. “Come, husband, lead us to the boma.”
Deep in thought, Seth and Erin followed Jethro and his family from the courtyard.
Chapter 9
A WARRING HEART
Jethro led them to a reed boma at the lake edge. An orange and purple sunset gilded the surface of the water, and a light breeze carried in the perfume of water lilies. A wooden jetty, tethered with a dozen dugout canoes, jutted out into the lake where thousands of pink flamingos waded in the shallows. Seth stopped, captivated by the scene.
“C’mon, Seth.” Erin grabbed his arm and tried to drag him over to a nest of chairs. “I have these really wild theories to share with you about Haran’s story.”
But the last thing Seth wanted was to discuss any of this with Erin, so he pulled away and walked over to a servant rotating an antelope on a spit. Lost in thought, he hardly registered the wild aroma of the venison, or saw the other smiling servants stirring cooking pots on the open hearth.
The whole time Jethro had been reading, an unknown voice had mocked him, telling him he was part of Reuel’s bloodline. The idea was sickening. He ripped a huge chunk of nail off his index finger, hardly feeling the pain. Nothing Jethro read about Reuel’s Sons matches my family.
“Kyle and Liam sure fought a lot,” his spirit reminded him.
Yeah, but that was because they were so close in age. And there was just too much competition for scarce resources.
“Scarce resources? Is that what you call it? Seth, when are you going to admit that our old man was mean and he cared nothing for any of us?”
Seth scowled. He was my father. Don’t talk about him like that.
“Always in denial, Seth.”
Well, Mom was great. She made up for . . . everything. And anyway, you know Dad was always stressed because there was no money.
“He was a professor of Applied Mathematics at Rochester University,” his spirit said in a slow, patronising voice. “That’s like a rocket scientist. And they don’t earn peanuts, you know. So what happened to all the cash?”
What are you implying? Seth shot back.
“That you’re not still thirteen. I know the fire was hell. I’ve spent the last five years living through it too. But it’s time to look at our family for what it really was.”
This is what really gets me about you! Your loyalties are so are friggin’ out of whack! Too angry to continue this discussion with himself, Seth focused on the servant rotating the spit.
But his spirit wasn’t yet done. “And you and Kyle–”
Are closer than most brothers on this planet, Seth snapped, heading his spirit off before he could attack that precious relationship.
“Then why did Kyle marry Izzy without so much as phone call before the event?” His spirit could feel Seth flinch as if he’d poured acid on an open wound. It hurt him just as much, but the truth had to be faced.
That was my fault. He was angry because I wouldn’t come to Botswana to lead him to the diamond.
“But you’d already promised him that you’d help find it when school ended. And still he was mad. Explain that.”
Seth had no explanation. All he had was a solution – return to Kyle as quickly as he could. But, again the question: how was he to escape from Shenaya without being shredded by crows? Neither he nor his spirit knew the answer to that. Suddenly very tired and very hungry – when did I last eat? – Seth ran his hands over his face, and watched the domestic scene bustling around him.
On seeing their Patriarch, the servants paused in their work, bowing to him and his family. His steward stepped forward, offering him and Lorick marula wine, served in wooden goblets.
With a smile of thanks Jethro raised his goblet. “To Gideon and his prophecy.”
“To Gideon,” Lorick said, looking at Sophia in wonder that she could have been so easily won over by that silly story.
“Time and experience, Lorick,” Jethro said, seeing his doubt. He slapped him on the back and went to greet a group of men entering the boma.
Lorick brushed past Erin and left the gathering.
Erin didn’t notice. Hands on her hips, she was staring at Seth. She had been so excited to talk to him, and he had rebuffed her. Again! Her first thought was to walk out and leave him in his icy world, but she couldn’t. As helpless as a comet pulled into the orbit of a giant planet, she was drawn to him. It was unstoppable. She wanted to fight the collision – after all, it was her heart that would be shattered by the impact – but her longing for him was too strong. It’s like I’ve been programmed to want him, no matter what. She sighed. I guess that’s exactly what happened when my spirit saw his. And now there’s no going back. She gnawed her lip, watching Seth staring vacantly at the Norin servants. Gideon, you said you’d help me. Please remind me of the ending of that stor
y about the frozen boy.
It was Kate who answered. She was lying on her back, drifting on an invisible air current. “Smile at him.”
“Smile at who? Gideon?”
Kate dropped out of the air like a stone and landed on her feet in front of Erin. “No, silly! Seth. Haven’t you noticed that he can’t resist your smile? And as for those green eyes of yours! You just have to look at him and he starts babbling like a stuttering starling. Have you any idea what that means? Seth is the most private person on earth. His parents’ death did that to him. But you, you he talks to.”
“Kate, at last I feel as if I’m getting somewhere! Please tell me why Seth is so guarded. So icy.”
“As you saw in the Mists of Time, Reuel knew long before you and Seth were born that you’d be Custodians of the diamond. You, he never had any doubts about, but Seth . . .” Kate hesitated, as if she was betraying an inside secret. “Reuel could never see in Seth what we Guardians can. Still, he was taking no chances. His cruelty to Seth has been something to see.”
All Erin’s protective instincts flared. “What do mean cruelty?”
“Reuel thought if he could tear Seth away from his family it would break his spirit. So he used his Gefallen to make Seth’s life a complete misery.”
Erin waited for Kate to continue, but she seemed too preoccupied playing with her hair to speak. “The fire that killed his family? Is that what you mean?”
Kate gave her a slow smile. “Perhaps you should ask Seth about the last five years of his life.” Her smile turned into a glare. “Now get your butt over there and smile at him.” With a brilliant flash, Kate disappeared.
Kate, I can hardly walk up to him and say, “Hey Seth, tell me about your rotten teens.” When Kate didn’t bother answering, Erin smiled her brightest, broadest smile and joined Seth at the hearth. “I’m starving, I wonder what’s on the menu?”
Seth turned to the sound of her voice. “It could be chopped up pizza boxes for all I care. I’m so hungry.”
“I’m hoping for better than that.” Erin reached over to lift the lid on a steaming cooking pot.
A fiery flash fell from the sky, knocking her hand away. “Gideon would not approve. Me? Personally, I think it would be a complete hoot.” Kate grinned at them. “But I’ve already been in trouble today with Gideon.” She held up her hands, now cleaned of nail varnish. “Helping myself to your amazingly wonderful possessions is strictly not allowed. Which is such a pity, because I just love that short, plaid skirt I saw in your bag.”
“So, when we cut through all that, what are you actually saying, Tinkerbell?” Seth laughed.
“Tinkerbell? What’s that?”
Erin shoved Seth in the ribs to shut him up. “Nothing. Just a silly name. Why can’t I touch the pot lid?”
Kate inclined her flaming head at the Norins. “They might not be able to see you, but they can definitely see pot lids. And what do you think would happen if a pot lid suddenly levitated into the air by itself?”
“They’d think they’d seen a ghost.” Erin felt an attack of giggles coming on.
“Yep. And it’s not allowed.”
“Please, please, Kate,” Seth grinned. “I would give just about anything to see this lot run screaming out of here!”
Kate gave him a mischievous look and glanced around the boma, checking for other Guardians. Seeing no one watching, she nodded. “Quick. Then run like hell.”
Seth had his hand on the lid when a stern voice spoke. “No!” It was Gideon. “Kate, go and find Talitha.” He watched her leave. “Forgive my daughter. She’s a free spirit.”
“Your daughter?” Erin asked, still trying to smother her laughter.
“She died in the arena the night Reuel murdered our wives and children.”
Erin and Seth looked at each other, almost reading each other’s thoughts: And Gideon still led his men to battle without flinching?
Gideon gave them a knowing smile, and pointed to a dark corner at the end of the boma. “Behind that screen you will find two platters loaded with food, a flask of water, and some bedding. There’s a bathhouse behind the boma where a change of clothes – which Kate raided from your bags at the campsite – awaits you. When you’re rested, touch the Seer-Stone. It knows where to take you.” So saying, Gideon evaporated.
“Great trick, that,” Seth said. “Wish I knew how it’s done. I’d be out of here in a flash.”
* * *
Erin looked at her pyjamas and sighed. She had packed for a camping trip to find the Lost City, not a meeting with her soul mate, whom she was now going to share a bed with, if Gideon’s sleeping arrangements were anything to go by.
“If someone had been kind enough to give me a vision, I sure as hell wouldn’t have packed this ancient old thing.” She pulled a blue cotton nightie with a faded Tweetie bird over her wet hair. “And no hair dryer either. My curls are going to be impossible by morning.” She clawed at her hair, but knew it wasn’t helping. With another, even deeper sigh, she bundled her dirty clothes together for Kate, who had promised to return them to the campsite. She looked around the bathhouse. “How did they survive without mirrors?” A quick scan down her front would have to do. At least she’d shaved her legs before coming to Botswana. She tugged again at her hair. “It’s hopeless,” she moaned.
“Get a grip,” Kate moaned back, bored with standing guard outside the bathhouse. “You’re gorgeous and he won’t be able to resist you.”
Erin wasn’t so sure. Still, she couldn’t stay here all night. She pulled on her sandals and stepped out. Kate looked her up and down critically. “Like I said, he’d have to be made of stone to resist you.”
“Stone I can handle,” Erin muttered. “It’s the ice that terrifies me. Has he finished his bath yet?”
“No. You get to claim the best side of the bed.” Kate grabbed the bundle of clothes, and linked arms with Erin. “Now come.” She steered Erin towards the boma.
“Why do I feel like a lamb going to the slaughter?”
Kate giggled. “Did you know that in our time all it took for a marriage to be legalised was for the boy to offer a sacrifice to the gods in the presence of witnesses? If he and his betrothed followed this up with lovemaking, then the girl was his. After the witnesses had checked the sheets in the morning, of course.”
“That is so gross. Why are you telling me this? Now, of all times.”
“Because it’s important that you know it.”
They had reached the boma. Kate smiled sweetly at Erin. “Relax, nothing like that’s going to happen. You and Seth first have to learn the meaning of the word sacrifice.”
Kate started to disappear, but Erin grabbed her. “Do me a favour. Just promise me that you won’t watch us. Me and Seth, I mean.”
“What do mean? We’re Guardians. Watching over you is what we do.”
“Please. Just not tonight. It’s embarrassing enough without knowing that every dead person who ever lived is watching us.”
Kate looked offended. “If that’s what you want. But I can’t promise that the Gefallen will keep away, though.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Erin heard Seth’s familiar tread. “Go, please.”
Kate vanished. It was too hot to climb under the blanket, so Erin pulled her knees up and tucked her pyjamas over them. Seth appeared and her breath snagged. He was wearing a pair of boardshorts and nothing else. She had seen his naked chest before, had even cuddled against it after the hyena attack, but she’d been in too much shock to realise just how beautiful he was. His muscles – the long kind, not the bulging, steroid-look that always turned her stomach – rippled as he walked towards her.
“It’s hot. I think it’s going to be a sticky night.” Seth threw his sword down onto the floor next to the bed.
“Yes. The bath was good though.” She watched him sit next to her, looking as uncomfortable as she felt. “Do you usually sleep in your boardshorts?” She buried her face in her knees, unable to fathom why she’d ask
ed such a stupid question.
He chuckled. “No, Sparkles. I usually sleep in my boxers. But, given everything–”
“You’d rather be sleeping on the other side of the lake – in Shenaya.” She knew she was babbling, but she couldn’t seem to stop. It was positively humiliating.
“Not quite. But something like that.” He lay down next to her with his head propped up on his elbow.
She wished she could read his face, but it was guarded. Not icy, but definitely wary.
Then he smiled. “I’m shattered. We’ll talk in the morning.” He rolled over, turning his back on her. Within moments his breathing settled into the quiet rhythm of sleep.
The sense of anti-climax was almost overwhelming.
* * *
Seth fidgeted in his sleep, muttering under his breath. He was on the run. Again. The evil bitch of a social services officer was chasing him, clutching larger-than-life legal documents in her hand, documents that condemned him to yet another foster home . . . But he could never run fast enough, or hide well enough.
Money. It took money to fight her. Every dollar they had went to pay lawyers. Every dollar Kyle could earn. Debt. He would always be in debt to Kyle for the brief moments of victory when they were reunited, just the two of them – a family – only to be ripped apart again, and again. Always starting again. New schools. New friends. Why bother to make new friends? Then Seth would bolt, running back to Kyle. And Kyle was always there to shelter him until the legal system ground its slow course, freeing him, ever so briefly, until the next attack.
The frantic cackle of francolins shattered the dawn silence. The Gefallen – crouched over Seth’s head, breathing thoughts into his mind, manipulating his dreams – looked up and cursed the birds. Three other patrolling Gefallen swooped into the birds’ plump bodies, silencing them, but it was too late. Seth was awake.
Sweating, heart racing from his nightmare, it took him a few moments to recall that he wasn’t still a kid. He took a deep, calming breath, trying to drive away the memory of the hateful woman. She’d had an uncanny, almost magical sixth sense when it came to tracking him down. He wondered now if she could have been a Gefallen. The thought made him angry.
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