“Oh, so it was for both reasons.” I think for a second, then ask, “What was the point you were trying to make with Marketa?”
Crimson says, “That you’re stronger than her. The bullet wasn’t supposed to injure you. I thought the bullet would ricochet off you. It didn’t. What’s worse, the bullet was made of obsidian. Earlier, when you detected obsidian in your future, I did as well. I just didn’t know it would be in the form of a bullet. I thought the obsidian would be like what Marketa had attached to her belt, and in that case, you’d be able to escape. But I was wrong. You were injured. I’m sorry.”
“You thought I’d be bulletproof?”
“That’s been the goal—to produce a Bearer with the ability to resist injury by healing incredibly fast, well, besides being able to pass as a Runner.”
I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut momentarily. This explains a lot. But bulletproof? Come on! “But, why did you want to make a point at all? Were you trying to save Marketa?”
“I’d much rather reform a Bearer than find a new one. I had no idea how far off the deep end she’d gone until she tried to kill you. However, I do want to commend you for trying to persuade her to change her thinking so she could still be one of us. I observed her behavior and choices while she worked on you. At some point, I looked to the future and found it was no longer optimistic. I couldn’t fix the situation. Your shoulder injury was non-fatal initially, but Marketa had taken you beyond what could be healed because, ironically, Maetha’s alteration on your body prevented us from fixing your damage. We knew from the beginning you’d need the full diamond before you’d become indestructible. We just didn’t know how long it would take for you to achieve success. Then throw obsidian into the mix, and we were suddenly in over our heads.” Crimson sips more on her tea.
Maetha says, “We could only keep you alive, and barely at that. Obviously, you harnessed the greater healing power that resides within the diamond. I believe you have now become indestructible, Calli.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because I cannot use my healing power on your body.”
Chris says, “I can. Well, as much as she’ll let me.”
“Only because you two are in love.”
Everything swims around in my mind, but something still doesn’t make sense. I sit forward and say, “So, you worked hard to create an altered Unaltered, so I could pass as a Runner to bring down the Death Clan? But I only now became indestructible, if in fact I am. I don’t understand why you went through all that fuss. Unless you have another reason you’re not telling me. If there’s only one thing I’ve learned about you two,” I point at both of them, “it’s that I never seem to get the whole story out of either one of you.”
Crimson says to Maetha, beaming proudly, “She’s perfect.” Then she looks at me and says, “Besides uniting the clans and Bearers, and being their leader when the Elemental cosmic ray hits the earth, you will also assist me as I try to capture the ray within a diamond, similar to the Grecian Blue Diamond. To do that, you need to be indestructible. My Primal Stone protects me, but I alone can’t capture the power. I need help. We need to capture the power to be able to use it in defense of those who will become altered from the blast. If we can’t defend against the Elemental power, humanity will die off within a century and a half. Capturing the power is the end goal. That’s the bigger reason why we created an indestructible Bearer.”
I stare at Crimson and then at Maetha. I turn my head to Chris, who’s looking at me with deep concern in his eyes.
“So, you’re saying I can’t be injured?”
“We think so.”
“What does this mean for me? Will I still be able to have children?”
“Yes, your future still shows you with children.”
“Will they be indestructible too? You said this alteration is handed down genetically.”
“Yes. You are stronger than your mother, and your children will be stronger than you. But only a Diamond Bearer can become indestructible with the use of the Healing power. If your children become Bearers, they will be like you.”
“Who else knows?” I ask.
“At this point, only the four of us.”
“But you were going to show Marketa,” I say.
“Like I said, Calli, I wasn’t aware of her deeper thoughts. As you’ve probably noticed, the Blue shard only gives us the ability to hear active thoughts of other Bearers when we’re around them. You can’t dig into their minds. This is the risk taken every time we select a Bearer. Will the individual turn against us? Take yourself, for instance. Will you turn against nature?”
“Never!” I declare adamantly. My own words fill my head of a time I told Chris to never say never. I revise my declaration. “I mean, I don’t believe I’d ever do that.”
“Just remember, you’re only virtually indestructible, not entirely. Your future is in your own hands. I believe you’ll continue to be yourself. In fact, I’m counting on it.” Crimson smiles warmly, letting me know she doesn’t doubt me. She continues, addressing Maetha and Chris, “Should anything ever happen to me, I want Calli to be the Bearer of the Primal Stone.”
I sputter, “You’d put the fate of the world in the hands of a nineteen-year-old?”
“It already is. If only every young person would recognize the awesome responsibility they all have, that is, to do everything in their power to preserve this planet, our humanity, our progression. If humanity survives the coming cosmic blast, which looks optimistic, I see the potential for a cataclysmic event down the road, due to the deteriorating condition of the environment, one that would take many millennia from which to recover.”
No one speaks. The room is eerily silent.
She continues, “But I also see the potential for humanity to bond together and win the battles that lay ahead. Not just against the Elementals and whatever else follows, but the battle for repairing the environment, the battle for a healthier human race, and the fight for progression to continue worldwide.”
“I’m honored you believe I can handle this responsibility. I’m humbled, too.” I pause, then ask, “Why can’t I see the future the way you do?”
“You don’t know how, nor do you have a Primal Stone. I recommend, like I have in the past, to not look for the future other than to protect your lives. You’ll take away the joy of living. Don’t live your life waiting for the destination, or you’ll miss the journey.”
Chris and I share a tender glance with one another.
Chris asks Crimson, “What is the Primal Stone made of?”
Maetha turns her head, curiosity written all over her face.
Crimson says, “It’s a diamond, and it’s red, but not like the red diamonds found in nature. Every time a new red diamond is discovered, and that’s not very often, I personally examine it to make sure it’s powerless. Something not everyone knows is natural red diamonds are actually clear. They are pure carbon, like other pure white diamonds, without any impurities. However, they have rearranged atomic structures that bend light, displaying a red color. Even though the Primal Stone is pure carbon, it glowed in the darkness of the cave without a light source. No other stone like it has been found.”
Maetha asks, “Why did everyone think you have red spinel?”
“I took a shine to spinel for its ability to be charged, similar to topaz, and because I did, others did too. Spinel became the immortality stone that everyone sought, including Freedom. I never corrected any of my Bearers concerning the true nature of the Primal Stone. And by the way, you three will be the only ones who know.” She looks at all three of us. “I’ve withheld the differences of crystals and rocks in an effort to prevent the obsessive behavior as with spinel. Just look at what has happened with the knowledge of what certain obsidian can do? However, I do regret not sharing with Maetha the information about the Imperial topaz.”
Crimson looks directly at me, “I haven’t told you everything, which should come as no surprise. I want you t
o process what you’ve learned before we go further. We will host a Diamond Bearer gathering tomorrow where Marketa’s death will be announced. I have Jonas searching for Max Corvus and his assistant at the bookstore to help the authorities capture them. Hopefully Jonas will have word by tomorrow morning. The bookstore shooting is already on the wire. We’ll have that to deal with, too. Just so you know, you don’t have to worry about containing the information concerning Calli’s indestructibility, Chris. I’ve blocked that information within both your minds.” Crimson stands and removes the blue mist over our conversation. Maetha joins her and together they walk into the kitchen.
I lay my head back on Chris’s shoulder and say, “Is your mind as blown away as mine?”
“Yep.”
“Are you afraid?” I ask.
“Are you?”
“No,” I declare.
“Then neither am I.” He squeezes my shoulder lovingly and kisses the top of my head. I move closer to his body and let out a deep exhale.
Learning exactly why Crimson has protected my life up to this point boosts my confidence and clears the last remaining self-pity cobwebs from my head. However, knowing some of what lies ahead brings apprehension like I’ve never felt before. She wants me to process what I’ve been told, but how am I supposed to do that? My life, my world, my purpose has been completely turned on end. These secrets Crimson and Maetha have kept for decades are nearing the end. At least, I hope they are.
One thing that hasn’t changed is my love for Chris, and his for me. Having Chris by my side tonight, on this New Year’s Eve, brings tranquility to my soul. I realize Chris is sending me healing energy. I gladly accept his offering. My worries and concerns melt away and I only feel peace. What a sweet guy! I’m in heaven . . . for tonight, anyway.
# # #
Thank You!
Thanks for reading my books! I hope you’ll take the time to leave a review on Smashwords or wherever you downloaded the book. I’d really appreciate it.
Also, drop on over to my website, lorenaangell.com, and let me know what you thought of the series by using the Contact Me form. While you’re visiting my site, sign up for my newsletter to be kept updated on the progress of upcoming books in The Unaltered series, and to receive exclusive freebies and news. Thanks again for reading my books. -Lorena
The Unaltered series continues...
Book Six: The Diamond Bearers’ Rising
Book six in The Unaltered series. Calli is assigned to help rescue imprisoned scientists from a facility eerily similar to General Harding’s. Even with Brand’s help, this will prove to be difficult at best. The task reveals a new, man-made, power-removing substance.
Another threat still hanging in the balance is Max Corvus and the obsidian bullets he now possesses. Calli’s first major failure as a Bearer will ignite a bidding war for the information Max has about her and the others.
If these two new powerful weapons weren’t enough to worry about, Calli also discovers a plot among her own group once Chris decides to become a full diamond bearer. With her own future at stake, Calli must change the rules that have always been laid out for her.
Sometimes, discovering one’s purpose in life can be a letdown. Or, it can cause one to rise up and fight back.
Find out in The Diamond Bearers’ Rising, book six of The Unaltered series.
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The Diamond Bearer's Secret Page 24