“Where is Adrian?” Imogene said, glancing around the room as though she’d merely overlooked him.
“Oh. He, um. He should be here soon.” In fact, I’d received a text from him just a few minutes ago. He was on his way.
“So what you’re saying . . .” Shyla said. She put her fingers around her head as though trying to keep it from exploding. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that we,” I said, pointing between Caleb and myself, “have to somehow combine our powers to remove the curse.”
“And why should we help them?” Charley said. She held her back straight, crossing her slender arms and looking so much like Jasmine at that moment. “They brought this curse upon themselves, so let them suffer.”
“We did not bring this curse upon ourselves,” Sebastian said. “The curse is old as Time itself. It should have died with Kamut, eons ago.”
“Evil persists,” Charley said, looking directly at my father.
“Now you’re just being dramatic,” Imogene said.
“It’s simple,” I said, raising my voice to be heard over the clamor. “Either we help them, or the curse could very well affect Caleb, too.”
Caleb sat up straighter, hearing my words. “You mean I’m going to become—”
“This is ridiculous!” Charley said. “The curse will not affect him. He is only half Manaquay.”
“We don’t know if it will or won’t,” my father said. “But I’m not willing to take the risk of waiting around to see.” He turned to Caleb. “You and Sarah must break the curse.”
“You knew the danger existed already,” I said, turning on Charley.
“Oh, stop with your conspiracy theories,” she said. “If I had known, don’t you think I would have done something about it?”
“But you did know!” I said. “You had to have known. Otherwise, why would you have asked about the prophecy?”
Everyone turned their attention to Charley, who grew visibly agitated under the scrutiny.
“What aren’t you telling us?” Imogene said.
“Caleb’s seizures,” I answered for her. “They aren’t just seizures, are they?”
“What are you talking about?” Caleb said. “What else would they be?”
“You’ve had seizures all your life,” I said, “but they’re coming more frequently and gotten a lot worse.”
“That’s how it begins,” Sebastian said, his eyes going to Caleb. “The seizures. Their grip becomes stronger until it becomes too much and the wolf breaks free.” Sebastian turned on Charley. “You let him suffer needlessly.”
Charley sat motionless, as still and quiet as a bronze statue.
“If you love your son, speak up now,” my father said.
“Don’t talk to me about love!” Charley hissed at him. “You, who have never loved anyone.”
“I loved,” he said, his voice pitched low in anger. For the first time, I saw a glimmer of the wolf that lived within. “I just didn’t love you.”
Charley’s nostrils flared as she seemed to consider whether or not to speak. “The story your grandmother told you,” she finally said to Imogene. “I’d heard it before.”
“From whom?” Imogene said.
“It was a story passed down in my family. Didn’t you know my great grandmother and your grandmother were best friends?” She shifted in her seat. “The story might have died with your ancestors, but it lived with mine.”
“And what did you hope to accomplish by keeping this story secret?” Meg asked.
Charley shrugged. “As far as anyone knew, it was just a story. But what Imogene fails to remember is that the story said the children born to the wolf were sired by him on one of Kai’s descendents. And is that not what I am?”
I blinked, not sure I’d heard, or even understood her, correctly. “Do you mean to say that you—.”
“Seduced Lucas and intentionally got pregnant?” David finished for me.
“That wasn’t exactly how I was going to phrase it,” I said. “But yeah.”
Charley sniffed. “Now who’s the one being dramatic?”
“Is it true?” Caleb said. “Did you . . . get pregnant with me on purpose?”
“Whether it was an accident or on purpose,” Charley said, “it hardly matters.”
“It does matter!” Caleb said.
“Why?” Imogene said to Charley. “Why would you do such a thing?”
“And why shouldn’t have I?” she said. “Everyone loved Melody. I was nothing more than her shadow.”
“So you were jealous of her?” Meg said. Charley didn’t reply, which was admission enough. “What did you hope to accomplish by getting pregnant with Lucas’s baby?”
“Caleb wasn’t supposed to be the only child,” Charley said, matter-of-fact. “There was supposed to be another. But then Melody came along and ruined everything.”
We sat in stunned silence as the weight of Charley’s confession sank in.
“When you finally told my father about Caleb,” I said, “he asked you to tell him about the curse. He wanted Caleb to know that if he did go through the change, he wouldn’t go through it alone. But because my father didn’t want you, you decided to punish him by keeping his son away.”
Caleb turned on his mother. “Is that the truth? Is that what I saw you fighting about all those years ago?”
Charley rolled her eyes to the sky. “Honestly, Caleb. Don’t you think—”
“You’ve lied to me for eighteen years, so at least do me the courtesy of telling me the truth now!”
Charley clamped her mouth shut and looked down at her lap.
“How could you?” Caleb continued when Charley didn’t say anything. “Knowing that I could . . . become something else at any moment?”
But Charley didn’t have an answer for him.
“You and Sarah are undoubtedly the ones the prophecy is talking about,” Sebastian said. “We will not let the same fate that has cursed our people since the beginning of time fall on you, Caleb.”
My father turned to Charley, his eyes black as the night sky. “I begged you, Charlene. I told you that I was terrified for our son, that he would likely become what I was, and I begged you to tell him.”
I saw Charley’s throat move as she swallowed. She lifted her shoulders, an insubstantial movement that said “so what?”
“You didn’t think it was important to tell me?” Caleb said, his voice rising.
“I was going to tell you,” Charley said, not meeting his eyes.
“When it was too late? How could you do this to me? How could you betray me like this?”
“Because it had nothing to do with you,” I said to Caleb. “The only person she was concerned about was herself.”
Charley turned on me. “Lucas wouldn’t give me what I wanted, so I thought it was only fair to take away what he wanted most in this world, a family. It was easy enough to keep Caleb away from him, but—”
“The fire,” Meg said suddenly. “That was you, wasn’t it?”
She flashed a sinister smile at my aunt. “It wasn’t my hand that set the fire, if that’s what you’re asking. But it wasn’t difficult to convince Victor that the person responsible for his wife’s death had to go.”
“But my mother didn’t kill Aida!”
“No,” Charley said. “But she loved the monster that did.” She sniffed and picked at a piece of imaginary lint on her pants. “I figured with Melody out of the picture, Lucas might eventually come around.”
“Oh, Charley,” Imogene said with a shake of her head.
“Of course, I didn’t count on Sarah escaping the fire.”
David rose from his chair and advanced on Charley. “You conniving little b—”
“Call me all the names you want,” Charley said as she leaned back in her chair to escape my uncle’s wrath. “It won’t change what happened.”
“So my dad really did start the fire,” Shyla said in a detached voice.
“When Imogene c
alled to inform the Council that we had a new Spirit Keeper,” Charley said, “I alone knew the prophecy was talking about Sarah and Caleb. It was just a fortunate accident that I put two and two together before Lucas and Sebastian did. I’d had Caleb all along. But you,” she said, turning to me. “You were the other half of the missing puzzle. I couldn’t allow the pieces to come together. ”
“You tried to have me killed,” I said. “Again. When Victor attacked us in the woods.”
Charley held up her hands. “In my defense, I didn’t try to have you killed that time. Victor was only supposed to capture you and bring you to me.”
“Capture me?” My mind reeled. “As in kidnap?”
“I was going to use you as leverage,” Charley said. “But Victor had to go and botch everything up.”
“Leverage as what?” Imogene said, horrified.
Charley scoffed, as though we were too blind to see the details of her plan. “To get what I wanted, of course. I knew that Lucas and Sebastian needed Sarah and Caleb together to break the curse.”
“And the only way you’d hand them over,” Imogene said, “was if Lucas took you, too.”
Charley simply shrugged. “I’ve never stopped wanting him.”
“Wanting is not the same as loving,” my father said, his voice trembling with anger and loathing. “And you know nothing about love.”
Jasmine, who’d been quiet throughout the entire confrontation, came forward then and stood towering over her mother. “You are the most terrible person I know.”
Charley’s brow rose as she picked at another imaginary piece of lint. “Yes, well. What’s that saying about the apple not falling too far from the tree? I wouldn’t cast judgments if I were you, Jas.”
Jasmine’s breath hitched. Her mouth fell open and there was a sudden brightness to her eyes. She turned on her heel and fled the room with a choked sob.
“You should have told the Council and tribe about the prophecy months ago,” Meg said through her teeth. “You should have told everyone that Caleb is Lucas’s son. You should have gone to Lucas with an offer to help him and his people instead of wanting retribution for your hurt pride.”
“Are you kidding me?” Charley said. “I saw how the tribe reacted to the news of Melody’s pregnancy. I would have been an idiot to reveal Lucas as Caleb’s true father. If I couldn’t give him two children by which to break the curse, I wasn’t going to give him any. If he wasn’t going to love me, I wasn’t going to help him.”
“The tribe will never stand for this,” Imogene said.
“Oh, yes. They will,” Charley snapped. “The tribe is weak and scared. They always have been. I was going to lead the tribes to greatness one day—the powerful leader of one great tribe—but that will never happen. Not now.”
“The Katori people are not too weak or scared to stand against you once they learn what you’ve done.” Imogene’s eyes were hard as she stared down Charley.
Charley narrowed her gaze. “And why would they believe you?”
“They might not believe Imogene,” I said. “But I know someone who they will believe.”
Charley turned to me as the doorbell rang. “And just who would that be?”
I smiled. “Victor.”
TWENTY-THREE
“Victor set the fire that killed three people. He came very close to killing his own son. The tribe will never listen to a word he says,” Charley insisted, her voice rising.
“We’ll see about that. You were wondering where Adrian was,” I said as I rose to answer the door. “He’s here now. Along with Victor and the other members of the Council.”
“So that’s why he wasn’t at school today,” Caleb muttered under his breath.
“Victor’s here?” Meg said.
Charley rose, too. “No. That’s not possible. He wouldn’t—”
But she didn’t have a chance to finish. I opened the door, letting the other two Council members flood in and surround her.
Charley’s face was a mask of shock. “What do you think you’re doing here?” she said to the two women.
“Hello, Charley,” one of them said. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us now.” She looked doubtful about questioning Charley’s authority, which Charley picked up on at once.
“You can’t force me to go anywhere with you! I live here now. This is my home. Whatever Council business needs to be taken care of, we can take care of it right here.”
“Don’t make this harder than it already is,” said the other woman. “Come with us back to the reservation.”
Sebastian took Charley’s arm. When she began to struggle, David flanked her from the other side. Together, they escorted her from the house and out to the awaiting car.
Charley continued to struggle, writhing like a snake between the two men. She caught sight of Victor then, standing off to the side. “You betrayed me,” she yelled. “After everything I did for you, you betrayed me!”
“You did nothing but ruin lives,” Victor said. “I’m just sorry it took me so long to see. I’m done with it now.”
Charley’s mouth hung open. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this. I am the head of the Council. You can’t treat me this way!”
She spied Jasmine hovering on the periphery and reached out desperately to her. “Jasmine. Come with me.”
Jasmine took a step back, away from her mother. “You’re insane if you think I’m going anywhere with you!”
Charley’s hand opened and closed as she tried, unsuccessfully, to reach her daughter.
“Jasmine. Please. You’re making a scene.”
“I’m making a scene?” Jasmine said. “How can you say such a thing to me?” Caleb put his arm around his sister and turned her toward the house.
Sebastian shoved Charley into the backseat of the car and slammed the door. They sped away, the last sight being that of Charley’s angry face peering out from the back window.
I ran to Adrian and threw my arms around him. “I’m so glad you made it. I didn’t think you were going to get here in time.”
“But we did,” he said.
“Well done,” Shyla said, clapping her brother on the shoulder.
Victor approached us then, hesitant. “I’ve hurt a lot of people,” he said to Adrian and Shyla. “Most especially the two of you.”
“If you’re looking for forgiveness,” Shyla said, her voice shaking even as she held her chin high, “I can’t give it to you. At least not yet.”
“I know that,” Victor said. “And I’m not asking for it. From anyone.” His gaze traveled around the group, resting momentarily on each person.
Victor and my father locked eyes and stood staring at each other for a moment, a silent communication passing between them. Victor finally nodded, and my father nodded back.
At last, Victor beckoned to Imogene. “Take care of them for me,” he said to her.
“Where are you going?” Adrian said.
“Where I can’t hurt anyone. I might be gone for a while.”
Victor turned to Imogene again, his gaze questioning. “You know they’ll always have a home with me,” she said.
My gripped on Adrian tightened. “I’ll take care of them, too,”
Victor offered me a faint smile. “Thank you.”
He touched Shyla once on the cheek and offered his hand to Adrian. Then he turned on his heel and made his way to his car parked across the street. I looked up at Adrian in time to see him swipe the back of his hand across his cheek. Then he took a deep breath.
“So, what did I miss here?” he said.
“We still have to figure out how to break the curse,” I said, hands on my hips as I contemplated the situation. “And according to the prophecy, Caleb and I have to somehow combine our powers. At least that’s what we think.”
“Right,” Caleb said. “We figured out the other day that Sarah is stronger in Fire and Spirit, but I have better control over Water, Wind, and Earth.”
“Sarah represents
the Sun and Caleb represents the Moon,” Imogene said, thoughtfully.
“Well, combining your powers sounds easy enough,” Sebastian said.
One look at my father, however, said otherwise. I didn’t think this was going to be a matter of saying hocus-pocus and the curse magically lifting. This was going to involve something much deeper than that; a lot more powerful.
I bit my bottom lip as I thought. “Caleb, give me your hands,” I said at last, holding out my own to him.
“Why?”
I rolled my eyes. “Stop acting like a boy and just do it.”
Caleb reluctantly placed his hands in mine and made a face. “Gross. They’re all clammy.”
I gave him a look. “Well it’s not as though we have anything important riding on our ability to remove a curse, does it? Forgive me for being a little anxious.”
Jasmine giggled. “I guess she told you.” Our eyes met and she offered me a small smile. I took the proverbial olive branch and smiled back.
“Do you have to say a spell or something?” Adrian asked.
“What, like bibbity-bobbity or abracadabra?” Shyla said. “It’s not that kind of magic. It’s spiritual. You have to feel it within you.”
“So then maybe all you have to do is just visualize removing the curse,” Meg suggested hopefully.
“Okay,” I said, squeezing Caleb’s hands. “I guess . . . try to channel your thoughts. I don’t know . . . envision breaking a shackle.”
“A shackle,” Caleb echoed.
“That’s basically what a curse it, right? An invisible shackle.” He still looked skeptical so I said, “Do you have a better idea?”
“I guess not.”
“Close your eyes then,” I said, as I closed my own.
Caleb exhaled, his breath washing suddenly across my face. It was warm and moist and . . .
My eyes flew open. “Ew!” I said, breaking our grasp and waving my hand under my nose. “What have you been eating? Skunk sautéed in garlic and onions? You need a piece of gum or a breath mint or something.”
Caleb leaned in and deliberately breathed in my face. I shoved him away. “God, you’re gonna make me puke!”
He laughed. “It’s no worse than your hands.”
The Prophecy Page 19