He stopped to let her soak that in. “They have the same birthday and all. But what makes them this supposed magic duo?”
Calum spoke up moving in his seat for the first time since leaving my court, “There is more to it than that but Stace and I would prefer to keep some things to ourselves.”
“No Calum, I think it’s time we trust someone else with this. If we are going to survive this, we know now we can’t do it alone.”
Calum gripped the dash straining, screaming, “Stace! I’ve never told anyone else.”
“And for that reason, we should trust someone to help us figure this out. We will drive ourselves mad and end up letting them kill us on Saturday if we don’t.”
"Saturday?" asked Maze, but no one answered.
Calum moved his neck side to side cracking noises coming out from both angles. I worried he’d smash the dash in with the way he was gripping it still. “Stop the car.”
For that matter, I should have eviscerated all three of them before the car came to a stop. Seriously!
Chapter Thirty Two …without avenging the past.
Lee responded, “What?”
“Stop the car. Over there, in that parking lot under the street lamp,” Calum breathed loudly now.
I sat the letters on the floorboard then changed my mind, then changed it again.
When the car stopped, we all sat quietly waiting. The look in Lee’s eyes watching me in the rearview mirror showed all kinds of hurt. He knew we’d hidden something, but it wasn't what he thought.
Calum opened the door and I followed on the opposite side. We met around the front of the car and stood side by side waiting for the two of them to stand before us.
When they were there, we both began to lift our shirts watching their eyes go wide.
“Um guys, I’m so not into this kind of stuff,” Maze stuttered.
I snorted, “Just watch. We’re all G rated here. And yes, I know what that means.”
I only had to lift my shirt and move the top of my pants. I waited for Calum to unbuckle his belt and pants.
“Man, I’ve seen it all before. We shower together, remember? I—
“SHUT UP, COWBOY!”
When his pants moved over and I readied, both of them stood in horror looking at Calum and I. Lee had seen Calum’s marks, but not mine for longer than the millisecond he did on one occasion. This would be, I hoped, his finality on the subject of him ever being anything but a friend in my life. He didn’t get what I was, but he would.
“When did you two sneak out and get matching tattoos? You so should have mentioned this Stace Rohkea if that is even your name. No, it can’t be since you’re the daughter of the Lord Hathown.” Maze stated all this more to herself even though everyone knew it already as she tapped her fingers across her thigh in a pattern.
Lee snorted. He knew all this, but had never just really looked at them.
“We didn’t sneak out,” I smiled. “We were both born with this on us. We’ve had it there our entire lives and just found out about each other three weeks ago. And my name is what you say.”
Maze’s feet left her and she must have really felt her rear hit the ground with a thud. Lee stooped to help her looking our marks over in amazement back and forth at the two.
“Is there more I don't know?” Lee asked in disbelief. He was starting to lose his cool.
I nodded thinking he probably already knew but he seemed genuinely surprised at the moment, “Some of it, you both know. But the rest we can tell you sitting down.”
Calum and I sat on the parking space blocker while Maze and Lee sat close together across from us like dividing lines. I noticed she had her hand on his either out of fear from us or because he was the closest thing to hold on to.
“We have the same birthday, February, 29th.” I would tell everything I could.
“Figures! Not even a real day,” Maze was trying to calm herself.
“We are marked by the constellation Orion, who was a Hunter. We both share names associated with Orion. I…my real name is Princess Anastacia Anat Hathown, daughter of Lord Hathown of the Valkyrie court.”
Calum spoke, “I am still the same Calum Rigel Green you knew, but my middle name is the brightest star located in Orion, and Anat is the battle goddess of folklore who killed Orion. This much we have figured out, but have no idea what it really means.”
“Grim story. Hope this isn’t a predictor of doom. How is all this possible?” Maze pouted her lip out and left it there.
We didn’t answer her more because we didn’t know the answer ourselves.
“Both of our mothers died in childbirth. It came out only today that both our moms had written letters somehow with the same penmanship and inside answers that Lee here thinks is going to solve it all,” I felt like my voice was getting hoarse. I talked more in the last few weeks, then in my whole life. I certainly had never had close enough friends to see them daily and even more time in the day than studying or other schoolwork. This was new for me all the way around.
“There’s more?” Maze stilled. That explained why there wasn’t a painting of our family she whispered drawing conclusions.
“They call it a prophecy, though it is just letters. One that we reasoned sounded like a joke, but now we are not so sure. One says that two will come to bring all together and they will be marked by Orion and.…” I felt like a caged bird.
“This all sounds great, but doesn’t it sound a bit like something of a set up or a really bad joke or—
“YES! It does. But others don’t. Someone kidnapped my brother five weeks ago and I was sent into the Hunter school to find out who. Only once I was in there, I found that it was not for me to spy, but rather to keep me quiet and hidden. My father thinks I was purposefully meant to find Calum and confirm the beliefs, only I had no idea that was going to happen and somehow it all did. They kidnapped my brother to bring him on my, our, birthday to kill him, or me, die for him or I don’t know yet. We rescued him and he is hidden safe inside the palace with my father. If Calum and I don’t figure out what we are going to do before Saturday, we will possibly be dead, my friends most likely also, and they will cover it all up to an accident or something and go on with the merry lives. Only, they didn’t count on us figuring things out, rescuing my brother, ratting out Dr. Quinn and Dr. Green, and yet one more rat at the warehouse where we freed Szar. We need to figure out WHO is going to show up on Saturday, with what weapons, and where it will be.”
I still didn’t take a breath.
Maze laughed. “Clue girl here has lost her freaking mind. I can’t believe you believe any of this. Two matching tattoos, same birthdays, etc. etc. are hardly facts enough to think someone wants to kill you.”
I was angry, “THEY TOOK MY BROTHER!”
Calum grabbed my arm, “She is telling the truth.”
Lee didn’t speak. Calum gave him a look. I’ve created this slowly building animosity between them that eats at me. That same caged bird still couldn’t get free. I felt like I’d stolen his sun and thrown it deep in the ocean of his sadness.
“It’s all true. Every bit of it,” Lee dragged out his words. “I only didn’t know about Orion specifically, but had my guesses. That seals it though. Any doubts I had as to whether you two were made to meet just sealed the deal. Literally.” He sighed with not much of what I’d call relief. “And we have proof of them taking her brother. Stace found something in Dr. Green’s office back when she first came and showed us when they first told me. The letter proves the prophecy is at least believable to the adults. I did know Anastacia when I was fourteen. I was sent to spy in the Val Court and tutored with her for two years. They were using me to investigate her abilities. When they found me listening in a little too much for their taste and knew I was aware of an attempt to kidnap Anastacia, they sent me away.”
“Kidnap me. That’s what you were doing that day?”
“You were being poisoned by them. They hid things from you. They were making you
a killing machine and intended for you to marry the old man oaf Hoover Ryan's son when you were eighteen so they could have access to the oil in all the Americas and Middle East. They wanted you preoccupied and that was my job alone. I was to keep you busy. Only, I saw the real you and I fell….” Lee remembered he had an audience. There was something in the way he said all this with an altruist devotion I’d never noticed before, but something didn't feel right about it.
And...only some of the picture he was trying to portray was correct. I knew for a fact that I was supposed to be meeting the Hoover Ryan two weeks ago but his father died and was buried the day I'd have met him. And I also knew I was supposed to be courted by his adopted son who would have inherited the company but something happened to the boy and he was sent away. All I knew is that I’d grown up with him connected to our court and now he was off the list of suitors for me, oh little me. I don’t remember him and I certainly don’t care about marrying him. Or anyone else.
Maze gasped. She knew what he was about to say.
“But that was a long time ago. And you are safe, mostly, at least when others are around,” he finished what he’d started.
I felt sorry for Lee. He lived with this for so long keeping hidden in the depths of his heart. “And you. I am safe when you are with me too. But Lee, you have to believe something here.” He watched me intently. “I truly believe you were a part of leading me to Calum. Somehow, you did save me that day. There is a path here we are all taking and I don’t think that it is done by a long shot. So for now, we keep toodling along.”
Lee was the mustered one now leading us all to battle. He didn’t like that he was the one who drove me to Calum. That much was true. “When you left Lee, they sent me on my first mission. I was never the same. They told me I needed to prove my worth to gain the court’s favor. I found myself more easily able to accept the outside world and far more than just being a princess and second in line. I was was ice cold inside thinking you hated me. I never had much of a name in that palace except “next in line” and you left me alone again like the rest. And when I came to the Hunter school, everything I’d ever questioned was answered with Calum, and then you, and now, hopefully in the letters sitting in that car. I have to know what my next chapter is. I don’t want to die on Saturday whether it is all a farce or not. But still, I have to treat it like its real because if I don’t, I might lose the very things I live for.” I looked at Calum for he was the only one I could name that cared about me in the way I wanted.
“Man, I hope someone loves me like that one day,” she breathed aloud.
She misunderstood my look. I wasn’t meaning I loved Calum. I don’t know how I feel. I frowned not meaning too. I had to make it clear though. “I don’t know about love Maze, but devotion is just as strong.”
I pulled out the letters for surveying. I told a solemn looking Calum how the letter made it to where they were. He barked a little but in the end was happy to have them after a few scowling faces and a pouty bottom lip from me.
Calum read the top letter from my mom's pile aloud.
Dear Daughter of Anat,
I haven’t forgotten you. My time on earth was short, but carrying you was the highlight of my time there. I leave you with your father, the chosen male to carry you through childhood and on to the destiny you hold. Please use the resources I’ve instilled in you to accomplish the goal ahead. I hold your abilities above all and will stand above to watch them grow when all our children have found themselves in one accord. The frailty of the human race kept us from making you anything other than the strengths of the Valkyrie and the powers of the gods. Please use this wisely and step forward on hastened feet. We need you. We are counting on you. They can’t do it without you. Read carefully the prophecy our leader has put before you.
With Love.
“And the prophecy as it says exactly,” he cleared his throat.
The Hunter by day will take with him, a huntress, unlike his own. She will bear the mark of Orion, as will he.
The Hunter by night will take with him, a huntress, unlike his own. She will bear the mark of the sun, as will he.
They will bring forth a mighty nation of all who come together. They will find Saiph at their right shoulder. Rigel and his stinging adversary will rule like no other. Cross will come between severed twins. Let who stands in the way of fate perish and be no more. In this great peril, the Anat goddess in human form will be the only light.
I wanted it all to add up. The two letters matched, but didn’t.
“You said Dr. Quinn and Dr. Green were in on it. How?” Maze pulled out of the awed daze.
Calum laughed. I couldn’t tell what kind he meant it for.
“It’s quite the conundrum. Dr. Quinn has been slipping us notes with beware messages and watch out kind of stuff. We saw my father at the warehouse where her brother was held after she found evidence he'd been part of it,” Calum addressed us all.
I looked I stared openly at Calum as he continued on my behalf, “We ruminated together and decided they are both being blackmailed to keep their families safe, as well as my father’s odd response to it all. We are not sure who to trust, but it appears like we have nothing but enemies and very few allies. I tried to query my father just after Stace did the other day and received the same brush off that we were on our own. It's like they are afraid.” He paused long enough to pinch the bridge of his nise then said, “We are alone in this.”
“No! Not alone. I won’t leave you. I can help, somehow,” Maze shrieked like we might send her away in the dark of night.
I straightened. “You’ll help me?” I watched Calum as I listened to Maze’s proclamation and begged for her to be honest with her vow. Calum usually hid his intelligence. He was using his big words in front of her. It didn’t scare her off.
“Well, blabbering about your Val butt sounds much better, but I don’t think I could live with myself if something did happen to any of you and I did nothing. So yes, I will kick some other species butt for you, whoever that may be.”
I jumped up and hugged Maze as she twirled me around in the parking space squealing and moaning the whole time.
When we stopped turning, we looked at both gawking at us. Maze had to give her two cents worth of sarcasm.
“What? Wanna piece? Get in line. If you’re waiting for us to dance with glee, you’ll have to wait till some girlie vamp dudes wanna give a demo.”
“Don’t play with a fire you can’t put out, chica,” Calum muttered curtly. He was just mad he was so dense and never figured it all out alone. He’s quick, but apparently intelligence doesn’t give you insight into the less obvious. I would be too with the way his father lied to him. Oh wait, mine did too.
Chests puffed out, they chided us with grunts and head bobs. “What, don’t want to twirl with me?” I snickered and looked towards Maze at my insertion of sartastic humor. All three were staring at me now too. Lee was as dropped mouth as I’d ever seen him. Then it turned to a glare, but mixed with a very guarded blush. Guessing I’d said the wrong thing again I replayed my statement in my mind. Oops! That sounded too much like I wanted to...but I just meant what it was. One day I would catch up to the innuendo mistakes.
I rolled my eyes in discomfort and hid my own embarrassment, “Let’s get back.” The boys stood and walked to the car. I stopped Maze with my hand to the crook of her elbow and with sincerity said, “I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
“Save it. Let’s just save your scrawny non-Hunter butt from certain doom. At least now I know how you impressed the famous Calum Green on the first day. Valkyrie charms are said to be deadly. And my best friend is one. He could have never resisted. What else can you do?” Maze was all about the skills.
“I don’t need to eat much. I power up. At least that’s what I call it. Sugar is my friend.” I could afford a few secrets at a time. Maze had to be overwhelmed already.
“That explains it. At least that makes me not think your bulimic now.
”
“You thought that?” I prompted.
“We all did. We tried to catch you purging all the time. Now I know why we didn’t catch that either. You don’t eat anything?”
“Well, yes. My favorites. Italian food anything...chocolate....more chocolate...but I don’t need much.”
Maze giggled.
Chapter Thirty Three The bravest people are the ones…
Amidst the doom of deciding what the plan was for Saturday, Calum felt the need to cook for me. Pizza. All four of us were inseparable for the next two days. We mostly wanted to keep an eye on each other for safety and to keep from anyone slipping information. I still kept it in the back of my mind that Calum had secrets. He was leaving a lot out that was more than likely truths, un-truths, and mixed-truths. But who would fill in the gaps and who would tell me what to believe about any of it?
The following day, Lee stopped me in the hallway to apologize again for leaving me that day years ago. Not sure what to say, I stared too long.
“Save it!” Lee skilled his face in another direction to not make eye contact.
“Why did you really looked surprised by my marks if you knew?” I asked him.
“Because I’d not known about the sun until recently. You have the sun also. And I’ve never seen for sure, only heard.”
I’d wanted to know what it meant for so long. Maybe I would know now.
Reading me he said, “Stace, I’m not an encyclopedia. And I can’t tell you everything I speculate on because your mind will make choices you’re not ready to make based off on half truths. What if I’m wrong? There are bigger things at work here.”
I was angry, but knew that he would cave when I needed him too. For now, I sensed a crowd walking closer to us and let him walk away.
We met in Calum’s dad’s personal kitchen. When Calum asked me to come, I was hesitant thinking of my father’s bugged house. He assured me we would just hang out and worry about our “doom” later. I still protested but he persuaded me otherwise and that’s why now, I’m here.
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