“Let’s just say you get on with it,” David said.
Charley leveled a dramatic gaze at each of us in turn. “I don’t want to alarm anyone, but I believe Sarah is in danger.”
“You don’t want to alarm us!?” Meg exclaimed, above the general commotion that Charley’s statement had caused. She moved closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder.
“You can’t just come here and state that Sarah is in danger and not expect us to be alarmed,” she said.
David sat on the edge of his seat, his eyes blazing with intensity. “Is it Victor? Has he come back?”
Charley raised her hand and waited to speak until the room had fallen quiet. “The evidence is circumstantial.”
“Circumstantial,” Adrian said. “So what you’re saying is that you don’t know for sure that Sarah is in danger?”
Charley shook her head. “No, but—”
“No, but.” Imogene threw her hands in the air. “Of all the irresponsible . . .” She shook her finger at Charley. “If you weren’t positive there was a threat, why say something and cause us to worry for nothing?”
Charley put her hand to her chest. “Excuse me, but I thought I was doing the right thing. Whether it’s circumstantial or not, I believe we should take even the barest hint of threat seriously. Sarah is our acting Spirit Keeper. If anything should happen to her—”
I sat up straighter in my chair and felt Meg’s grip on my shoulder tighten in response. “Who said anything is going to happen to me?”
“It’s just a hypothetical,” Charley said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Gritting my teeth I said, “I don’t particularly like your hypothetical. In fact, you can take your hypothetical and—”
“What do we do in the meantime?” David said, more to the point and with a warning look at me to sit back and be quiet.
Charley raised her chin, a slight triumphant smile on her lips. “I have an idea. Two, as a matter of fact.”
My stomach sank. It looked like Jasmine had been right. Charley was up to something, and I didn’t trust her one bit.
“Go on,” Imogene said, her face creased with suspicion. “We’re listening.”
Charley smiled again. “Sarah should come back to the reservation.”
“To visit?” I said with a snort. Been there; done that. I wasn’t interested in doing it again anytime soon. “That’s okay. I’ll pass.”
Charley leveled her gaze at me. “Not to visit, Sarah. To stay.”
At first I thought she was kidding and I started to laugh. But when she only continued to stare at me, I knew she was totally serious. “Uh-uh. No way. That’s never going to happen!”
But Meg, always practical and over-protective, wanted to hear more. “Hold on. Maybe we should consider what Charley has to say.”
I shrugged off Meg’s hand and turned on her. “Are you crazy? School starts in a week. This is my senior year. I am not about to leave behind everything and everyone I know just because Charley has reason to believe I might be in danger.”
“I agree,” David said. “Think about it, Meg. The business is here. What would we do for work and money? I don’t want to relocate.”
“Neither you nor Meg would have to leave your home or your business,” Charley quickly assured my aunt and uncle. “Sarah could live with me. She could share a room with Jasmine.”
And with that, pandemonium broke loose:
“There’s no way I’m sharing my room with her!”
“I’m not leaving! No one can make me leave! I’ll barricade myself in my room if I have to!”
“If she goes, so do we!”
“Speak for yourself, Adrian! I’m not going back there either!”
Imogene put her fingers in her mouth and gave a sharp, ear-splitting whistle. At once, the shouting ceased.
“That’s more like it,” Imogene said. She turned to Charley. “I think you’d better tell us what else you had in mind.”
Charley folded her hands in her lap and turned to me with what appeared to be a satisfied smile. “If you don’t want to move to the reservation, you can relinquish your powers as Spirit Keeper.”
The room went ominously still, but it was Imogene who spoke first in quiet, measured tones. “Sarah was made Spirit Keeper for a reason, even if we do not yet understand what that reason is. For her to give up her powers now, before we discover why Katori spared her life . . .” Imogene shook her head. “No, Charley. There has to be some other way to ensure Sarah’s safety.”
Charley glared at Imogene through narrowed eyes. “I think the rest of the tribe and Council will understand that there are extenuating circumstances under which the Spirit Keeper might choose or be forced to give up her position—”
“No one is forcing Sarah to give up anything,” Shyla said. “Especially not her appointed right as Spirit Keeper.”
Charley turned a patently false smile on Shyla. “Forgive me. Maybe force wasn’t the right word. What I meant was—”
“Hold on,” I said. All eyes turned to me. “Maybe passing on my powers to someone else isn’t such a bad idea.”
Charley moved to the edge of her seat. “I’m listening.”
“Sarah, think very carefully about what you’re saying,” Meg cautioned.
“I am thinking,” I said to my aunt. “I never wanted, and didn’t ask for, these powers in the first place.”
“But Sarah,” Meg said, “Your powers are a great gift. You can’t renounce them simply because you don’t want to be Spirit Keeper. You are destined—”
“Destined for what?” I interrupted. “Who says I was meant to be Spirit Keeper? Maybe it happened by accident. Maybe it was all just one big fluke.”
“Sarah,” Shyla said. “I know I said my powers got me in a lot of trouble when I was younger, but this is something you really need to think about.”
I turned to Shyla. “Don’t tell me you believe I’m destined for something greater, too, because I don’t buy it. I’m free to make my own path in this life, and the whole idea that I’m supposed to be this or supposed to do that is a bunch of BS.
“If I were to give up my powers,” I said to Charley, “who would I be giving them up to?” I thought she had an elder of the tribe in mind, someone with more life experience than I, or who was at least in better standing with the Katori people.
Charley’s smile widened. “Me.”
“What?!” Caleb and Jasmine exclaimed in unison.
“Mom, you can’t be serious.”
“Mom, what are you thinking?” Caleb said, looking at her like he couldn’t believe what she was suggesting.
“Why you?” Imogene said. “And how would giving up her powers actually protect Sarah? We’re assuming it’s her position as Spirit Keeper that has put her in danger, but according to you there is no such proof.”
“Why not me?” Charley said, ignoring the rest of Imogene’s question. “As the head of the Council, aren’t I the most logical choice?”
The room fell quiet once more.
“As for how giving up her powers will keep Sarah safe,” Charley said, “it just will.”
“But how,” Imogene persisted.
“You’re suggesting Sarah give up her powers,” David said, “but that means she would be defenseless against Victor should he return.”
Charley took a deep breath and refolded her hands in her lap. “I didn’t want to mention this, at least not until I was absolutely sure, but there are others out there who might be looking for Sarah.”
“Like who?” I said.
“Others,” she said ominously, with her annoying penchant for drama.
Meg threw David a covert glance. He raised his brows and she shrugged in response. When they caught me watching, though, they quickly looked away. I groaned internally; just one more thing they were hiding that I would eventually have to get to the bottom of.
“Why would . . . others be looking for me?”
“If they kill you, and the Spirit
inside you, the protective barrier surrounding the Katori reservation no longer exists. Everyone who lives on the reservation will be vulnerable.”
“Way to smooth the news, Mom,” Caleb said.
Feeling like I was going to be sick, I sat and put my arms around my stomach.
“So these others that you’re talking about,” said Imogene. “Are they the ones from the six other tribes—the descendents of Kai?”
Charley gave a curt nod. “Precisely.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said. Yet I’d felt that magical current rip along my spine. The barrier had been put in place lifetimes ago to protect the Katori people from a very real and possible danger that once existed. Would killing me really bring down those defenses and put them in jeopardy? More importantly, was I really being hunted?
“If you pass your powers to me,” Charley said, speaking deliberately as though to a child, “I will be safe on the reservation. No one will be able to touch me there. No one will be able to breach the barrier and harm our people, and no one will have reason to come looking for you.”
“But they won’t know that Sarah has relinquished her powers to you,” Meg said. “They will still come looking for her.”
Imogene shook her snow-white head decisively. “It’s not a good idea, Charley. Sarah is the rightful Spirit Keeper, danger or no danger. Only time will tell why Katori chose her.”
Charley sighed dramatically. “I was afraid it would come to this, which is why I came up with a contingency plan. I’m sorry to say you’ve forced my hand in the matter.”
I didn’t like where this was going, and from the look on everyone else’s faces, neither did they.
“What are you talking about?” Caleb said. There was a nervous quality to his voice that I had never heard before. “What contingency plan?”
“I made a few phone calls the other day. Lucky for you and your sister, there’s plenty of space at the high school for two more students.”
Charley reached into her pocket and pulled out a shiny bronze key. “There’s also a furnished apartment already waiting for us.”
Jasmine jumped to her feet, a look of abject horror on her face. “You can’t be serious! You can’t just kidnap us and hold us hostage here!”
Charley closed her eyes and let the hand holding the key fall to her lap. “I am your mother, Jasmine. I hardly kidnapped you. And I’m just trying to do what’s best for everyone.”
“What’s best for everyone?” Jasmine shrieked. “This is definitely not what’s best for me.”
“You tricked us,” Caleb said. “You laid out options that you knew no one would agree to just to push your own agenda.”
“Agenda?” Charley laughed. “The only agenda I have is to see that our Spirit Keeper is kept safe. And if I, as the head of the Council, have to protect her myself, I will.”
“But—”
“No buts, Caleb. It’s settled. And I don’t appreciate your unsupportive tone,” she added as an obvious afterthought.
“What’s settled?” Jasmine cried, her eyes welling with tears. For once I actually felt sorry for her. “Nothing has been settled. I just want to go home!”
Charley sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Sarah doesn’t want to move to the reservation and no one wants me to be Spirit Keeper, although I can’t understand why,” she added in an undertone. “Moving here to offer Sarah additional protection is what’s good for the tribe as a whole. Surely you can understand that, Jasmine.”
“So, what? You’re asking us to be her bodyguards?” Caleb said.
“I don’t need anyone to babysit me!” I yelled.
Jasmine turned her angry, tear-filled eyes on me. “This is all your fault!” She bolted from the room, slamming the front door behind her on her way out.
“Don’t worry about her,” Charley said. “She’ll be fine.”
“I’ve got a headache,” Meg said, sounding tired. “Obviously there’s a lot still to talk about and, quite frankly Charley, you ambushed us.”
Charley looked horrified at the suggestion. “Well, excuse me for wanting what is best for Sarah.”
“That’s just it,” David said. “I’m not sure you do.”
Charley’s eyes widened. “How can you even say that? Sarah is my best friend’s daughter.”
I swallowed down the lump that seemed to have become stuck in my throat. I didn’t like Charley, and I knew she didn’t like me. She was definitely up to something.
The burning question was what?
ELEVEN
The first day of school came much too quickly. Rolling over, I pulled the covers over my head in denial. The door creaked open, admitting the scent of pancakes and fried bacon. The overhead light blazed suddenly and I groaned, in no mood for my aunt’s natural morning chipperness.
“Rise and shine! You don’t want to be late for your first day of senior year.”
I slowly came out of hiding and squinted at her before slamming my hand against the snooze button. “The reason I have an alarm is so you don’t have to come in here every morning to wake me up. I’m not a kid anymore.”
“Yikes. I guess someone—”
I pointed a quick finger at her in warning. “Don’t you dare say it.”
Meg smiled. “And I suppose, since you’re not a kid anymore, you can make your own breakfast?”
I sat up and yanked the band out of my hair, running my fingers along my scalp to loosen the braid I’d slept in. I gave her a sheepish grin. “Well, breakfast would be okay.”
“Uh-huh. I see how it is.” She winked and closed the door behind her.
I flopped against my pillow again, telling myself I’d get out of bed after this snooze, or maybe the one after that. The truth was I’d been awake for the past hour rehashing the argument Adrian and I had the night before. He’d driven Caleb and Jasmine to the reservation a few days ago to pick up a rental truck full of their belongings, with plans to return yesterday afternoon—early enough for us to go out to dinner. The trouble was, he didn’t get home until well after dark. By then it was too late, and I was starving and irritable.
“I’m sorry,” he had said. “We got busy.”
“Busy doing what?”
Silence, and then: “Just busy.”
“Busy with Jasmine?” I said unfairly, instantly regretting it. Jasmine was like a scab I couldn’t stop picking at.
Adrian was silent before he said in a clipped tone, “I’ll pick you up for school in the morning.” He hung up before I could even apologize.
I dressed and made my way to the dining room where David was scanning the funnies and shoving oversized bites of pancake into his mouth. A bead of golden maple syrup dripped lazily from his chin, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand. I made a face and moved my own plate two spaces down.
“Honestly, David. It’s no wonder you don’t have a girlfriend.”
He looked up, his eyes blank. “Huh?”
I shook my head and reached for the bottle of syrup. “Never mind.”
“So, it’s your last year,” Meg said, sliding into the seat across the table. “Before long you’ll be off to college.”
I swirled a piece of bacon in the syrup and bit off the end, the salty-sweet taste suddenly unpleasant. “Let’s not rush things, okay?”
“Not rush things? Sarah, you’re a senior. You’re running out of time. Have you at least given any thought where you want to go?”
I shrugged, not meeting her eyes. “Not really.”
“Do you at least have an idea about what you want to with your life?”
I sighed impatiently and then leveled my gaze at my aunt. “Can’t I just get through breakfast first?” Meg was entering into full freak-out mode. I had to put the brakes on this one fast.
David snorted. “I guess someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”
Meg shot him a look that clearly warned he’d better be quiet if he knew what was good for him. She turned to me. “Okay. Wha
t’s up?”
“Boy problems,” David said. “Isn’t that what it always is with girls her age?”
“Shut up, David.” I got up and dumped my dishes in the kitchen sink, my appetite ruined.
After dressing, I brushed my teeth, gathered my bag, and then sat on the sofa in stony silence waiting for Adrian. Ten minutes later he pulled into the driveway and honked.
“Since when does Adrian not come to the door?” David said as I rose. “You shouldn’t let him do that.”
“We’re just running late is all,” I said. “And besides, he doesn’t need to come to the door. That’s so old fashioned anyway.”
David raised his brow. “It’s not old fashioned, Sarah. It’s polite.”
I hoisted my bag over my shoulder and gave him what I was sure was an unconvincing smile. “See you later.”
Adrian was alone in his car; for that much, I was thankful. I didn’t relish the idea of apologizing for last night’s argument in front of an audience. “Where is everyone?”
Adrian’s hands tightened on the wheel, but he didn’t look at me. “I didn’t think you’d want them here.”
“Adrian, I—”
“Besides, my car isn’t big enough for five people. Caleb’s catching a ride with Shyla.”
“What about Jasmine?”
“She took the bus.”
I laughed in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Wow. She must really hate me to voluntarily subject herself to the bus.”
“No more than you hate her.”
His words stung and I fell quiet. Finally, I said in a quieter voice, “I don’t hate her, Adrian. I just don’t like her much.” Adrian didn’t respond.
We’d received our final schedules a few days ago in the mail. Just for something to do, I pulled mine from the front pocket of my bag and looked it over, even though I had already memorized the location of all my classes. The short drive to school felt more like an eternity.
“I can’t believe we have only one class together.” I didn’t add that it especially sucked since Caleb was also in that same class. I’d have to share Adrian with him all the more.
“I’m sure you’ll survive,” he said.
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