The room was familiar, but it took me a bit to get my bearings. I finally realized that I was in Aunt Lucie’s spare bedroom, and Zane was still in the chair by the door. The events that led up to my being in the same room with him raced back to me like a barreling train, and in sharp contrast to the feelings in my dream. Why did he find it necessary to baby-sit me? I was perfectly capable of sleeping without getting into trouble. I hadn’t realized that I had the ability to project, or whatever it was that Aunt Lucie had called it. It wasn’t like I had set out to cause trouble. I allowed my eyes to open fully, and as they did, Zane pulled his chair to the bedside.
“How are you feeling?”
“My head still feels a bit heavy, but I’ll manage. You really don’t need to stay. I can take care of myself.” I yawned, feigning indifference. The truth was I was flattered that he had held vigil at my side, and the warm fuzzies from my dream came back to me.
“Catherine, what will it take to make you understand that you are my only real concern now?” He straightened in his chair and narrowed his eyes. “I have no choice in this task or in who is chosen for me. If I had I would not have chosen a child like you. Could you please try to make my job a little less difficult by doing what I tell you instead of insisting on doing what you want regardless of the consequences? Whether or not you knew you were capable of projecting yourself is not my concern. At some point last night, you had to realize what you were doing wasn’t normal. Why the hell didn’t you just shut it off? I seriously question whether or not you are truly ready for this, or even suited for it... you seem so insistent on doing the opposite of what you are told every chance you get. To top it all off, when I try to be understanding and show you that your welfare is of the utmost importance to me, you brush me off and act as though I’m not needed.” With that, he made some low guttural noise and then his head fall into his hands.
My breathing was hard, and I could feel my heart trying to pound its way out of my chest. Who did he think he was accusing me of things he couldn’t possibly understand? I wasn’t even sure if my aunt truly understood, and she’d been a Guide for more than a decade.
“Excuse me for living my life the way I see fit!” I spat, sitting up. “I understand I am your mission now—or rather keeping me safe is—and you seem to take that seriously, but it is still my life. For the record, not only did I not know I was capable of projecting, but I had no idea that what I was experiencing wasn’t just a normal byproduct of my evening with Lois. If you truly think me unready for this and incapable of acting like anything other than a child, why don’t you just leave? I don’t want or need you here! If I am acting like a baby, then you are acting like some whip-cracking warden with a penchant for chewing out your only gifted inmate. What bothers me most about your attitude is that I think you’re so mad because the health of your ego depends on your ability to take care of me, a bratty child. Perhaps the real issue is that you lack confidence in your ability! This isn’t about me, it’s about you, you egocentric jackass.” I was near tears by this point, and every ounce of good feeling I had from the dream or even his being close to me was gone.
I blinked back the hot tears before they could betray me and stared at him. He stared at his feet, shifting uneasily.
“Well,” I continued, “do you have anything to say, or did I hit the nail on the head?”
Lifting his head, he met my gaze, but there were no thoughts behind his eyes; Aunt Lucie must have taught him how to block me.
“I don’t expect you to understand my anger, and no, you are not correct. My ego has nothing to do with the fear and dread I felt last night when I realized you were not safe. I have been trained to hold Guides in the highest esteem, for you are the gifted ones that ensure our world and the hereafter are set in balance. To lose one of your kind would be a terrible defeat, especially one as gifted as you. Please accept my apologies for my brash behavior, I am working on my people skills, or more specifically my Catherine skills.”
I felt my eyebrows rise to my hairline as he spoke. His words were perfectly placed and seemed heartfelt. He made me feel as though I was on par with an ancient goddess. Clearing my throat and looking at my hands, now twisting around one another in my lap, I spoke softly. “Apology accepted and returned, I suppose. I didn’t mean to yell at you like that. You just have a way of setting me on edge and making me feel like an ignorant child. Truce?” I held my hand out to him, hoping to start making amends. I wasn’t sure if my entire heart was in it, but Aunt Lucie was right. I had to be adult about this as we were partners now. No turning back.
“Truce,” he agreed, shaking my hand. I held his a little longer than necessary, enjoying the warm strength it offered, all the while remembering faintly the feelings that enveloped me in the dream. Realizing that I must have the most stupid smile on my face, I slid my hand from his and saw his face fall a little, making mine follow suit.
“I hope this is the beginning of a better partnership because keeping you safe is a bit more difficult than I imagined.” He shook his head and bowed it, hiding a small smile. “I’ll never be bored.” He let out a breath and pinned me with an intense stare. “Catherine, I know how the Badbeh works and leaving yourself unprotected while you’re so vulnerable could have dire consequences.”
After mentally digesting the information so stoically handed to me, I had to concede, begrudgingly, that he was right. If I couldn’t get a handle on this new ability, he might have a hard time keeping up or he would have to camp out in my room every night. That idea stirred up a myriad of feelings. On the one hand, he had just been a complete ass and chewed me out for something I wasn’t aware I could do, let alone control. On the other were his kind and heartfelt words of apology. I was loathe to admit that his softer side was starting to wear down the logical part of me that said he was a royal pain put in my path to cause me nothing but torment. There was yet another side that made me giggle as I pictured my father lording over my Caomhnóir, telling him there was no way he was spending the night sleeping on my floor.
“What’s so funny?”
“Just the thought of you camping out in my room. Somehow I don’t think my dad would be very keen on the idea.” I looked away as I mentioned this to keep from blushing.
“I think you are probably right. Oddly enough, I think your aunt has a solution to that problem, though she hasn’t clued me into the specifics.” He exhaled.
Just then Aunt Lucie opened the door with a very large and triumphant-looking smile on her face. I knew that look well and nothing good ever came of it. Before I could open my mouth to speak, Zane quipped, “Were your ears burning, Lucie? We were just talking about you.”
“Really?” She looked from me to Zane and back before shrugging. “No burning ears but I may need to run and take shelter for my own safety after I deliver my news.” Taking a deep breath, she looked at me and smiled sweetly before uttering words that I never thought I would hear. “Cat, you will be moving in here while we observe and train you on projecting yourself to others. Zane will be in the next bedroom, and if he wakes feeling the way he did before, he can simply check on you.” She was still beaming as she continued, seemingly proud that it had come together so nicely. I didn’t miss how she stayed firmly behind the door. “I have already explained it to your father and mother, and they agree this is the best place for you to be. Without Zane or me around, you are likely in some sort of danger, and if you are at your parents’, it will be too difficult to discern the level. Zane, you will need to move in here for the duration, and because I can’t really tell you how long that will be, I will help you get out of your lease. It will all be quite proper, and no one need feel uncomfortable.”
“Lucie, I think moving me in here indefinitely might hamper your training since Catherine and I are just starting to trust one another. If we are constantly under each other’s feet, there will be difficulties.” Zane sounded truly alarmed, and a
s he spoke, he looked at me with eyes that begged me to back him up.
Was I that difficult to be around?
“I agree, Aunt Lucie. Besides it’s a small town and people will talk. I can’t go to school every day with people whispering about me even more than they do already.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! This is the way it is going to be, and honestly, the only time you will be here together is at night, which is when you are in the most danger of projecting yourself.” She let go of the door and folded her arms across her chest. “Cat, this is the only way to ensure your safety, and I am sure Zane will come to see it my way, as well.” She shot a glare in his direction, and he simply groaned and shrugged.
So much for solidarity... the coward.
“Fine.” I threw myself back on the bed and closed my eyes tightly.
Aunt Lucie clapped her hands and dropped the mom glare for a large smile. “Fine, case closed. Zane, I will send packers to get your things in order and move them here.” She turned on the spot and left the two of us in the room looking after her.
Zane turned to me, his eyebrows raised. “Well, it seems our new truce will be tested to its limits. Your aunt is right, you know. This will make it easiest for me to make sure you’re protected. Catherine, I promise to make the best out of this, okay?”
Again with the politeness.
I know I offered the truce first, but even if I never actually saw him, the fact remained that every night we would be sleeping under the same roof. If I didn’t want to beat him over the head with a bat for being a jerk, then I’d likely be fighting with myself to keep from swooning every time I smelled the faint scent of his cologne in the bathroom. Those thoughts and the ones I had been having earlier made me feel like I was losing my mind, and I groaned.
Ultimately, I had no choice in the matter. Both he and my aunt were right and I would have to just grin and bear it. I was raised in a house with four boys, and if I could just imagine him as a brother, everything might be bearable.
Bah!
“I, too, will try to make the best of the situation. Thank you for being so considerate.” Without missing a beat or knowing where this question came from I asked, “How did you know there was something odd going on?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I woke up with the most horrible feeling, like I wasn’t doing my job, and the entire time all I could focus on was your face. It was one of the most unsettling experiences I’ve ever had.” He shook his head and raked his hands through his hair. “Perhaps it is just a connection all Caomhnóirs have with their Guide.”
“One of the most unsettling experiences? How many have you had?” I adjusted myself on the bed, so that I was sitting cross-legged and leaned forward to give him all of my attention.
“There have been only a few, and most of them have happened since meeting you. But they have no bearing on the matter at hand. I need to get to my apartment and pick up a change of clothes and toiletries. I believe your aunt intends on beginning our new living arrangements immediately. You’ve rested most of the day, but I would guess you could use a few more hours. I’ll see you later on.” He spoke quickly as he moved the chair back to its appropriate place and gave a quick smile before leaving me to my thoughts.
I was still a little tired, but I hadn’t eaten anything all day, and it was now eight o’clock in the evening. A shower was also in the cards for me as I felt all sticky and sweaty.
I walked to my aunt’s room and found a note instead of her.
Well, at least Aunt Lucie and I were on the same wavelength. Food first, then bath, and I would wait for one of them to show up before I collapsed again on the bed. I hoped this time I wouldn’t need a babysitter.
The kitchen was stocked with all kinds of healthy food, and not the kind that tasted like cardboard. Aunt Lucie loved to cook when she had time. There were always plenty of fresh veggies and fruit on hand. The pantry smelled of garlic and other spices, which succeeded in wrenching the loudest growl possible from my underfed belly. I gathered some pasta from the pantry, tomatoes and parmesan from the fridge, and began my search for a pot large enough to boil water. Before long, my dinner was done, and not a moment too soon. I was having a difficult time keeping the groans in my stomach at bay.
I sat down with my completed dinner and began forking the food into my mouth with record speed. It must have looked like I hadn’t eaten in years, but I didn’t really care. After a dozen or so bites, my tempo slowed, and I looked to the sideboard in her kitchen for something to read. While I knew my aunt’s library was almost as impressive as my mom’s, I couldn’t conjure the strength to go in search of it. I knew I hadn’t brought any of my own books yet, so I gave up and grabbed some fitness magazine sitting atop her pile of mail.
After finishing my meal and rummaging through the less-than-entertaining articles about how to get the perfect beach body—living in a land-locked state like Kansas didn’t exactly require a beach body—I went upstairs to the bathroom to clean the grime left behind from such a long sleep.
The bathroom was an oasis of color and smells that emitted a tranquil softness, like a warm blanket. As I started the water, I searched the cabinet for the washes my aunt had mentioned, settling on a flowery honeysuckle with a touch of citrus. Still taking in the feeling of the room, I quickly disrobed and submerged myself in the fluid warmth of the water, sinking down until only my head was dry. The weightless feeling soothed away any soreness I had from my adventure the night before, and I realized this would be very easy to get used to.
I took my time and soaked for a while before I realized I hadn’t brought a robe or change of clothes with me into the bathroom. I looked around for something my aunt might have and located something suitable in a basket at the end of the tub. Standing up, I wrapped myself in the plush fabric and walked down the hall to my room.
As I opened the door, I stopped to think about the last day and a half. This would be the first time I hadn’t said goodnight to my parents and slept in my own bed since our family trip to Pennsylvania four years earlier. I’ll just have to call them before I fall asleep, I thought and tried to push the tears and fear to the back of my mind.
Entering the room, I noticed my old suitcase sitting on the chair Zane had occupied earlier and figured Aunt Lucie must already be home. I grabbed a mismatched outfit from inside it, dressing quickly and went downstairs to see where she was.
“Aunt Lucie?” My voice seemed to echo through the large rooms on the main floor.
“In here, Catherine. Just making myself something to eat.”
Following her voice to the kitchen, I found her already sitting down with a half-eaten sandwich on her plate. “How are Mom and Dad? Are they upset at all?” I asked.
“A little, but only because they’re worried for your safety. They said they felt better with you here than if you were at home.” She motioned to the chair beside her and pushed a bowl of grapes toward me.
“I miss them,” I mumbled. “Zane and I seem to be making a little headway in the getting along department. I can’t make any promises, but I will always let him in on anything that might put me in danger. So, where do we begin with the projection thing?”
“We need to see if you can consciously make yourself project, or if it is simply a reaction to the needs of your Tourists. After we have determined how much control you have, we will have to observe you in that state to see how vulnerable you are both physically and spiritually. Once we have all those answers, we will go forward with your training... how to control it, how to defend yourself, and so on. I’ll warn you, it could take a while to be sure of everything, so your patience is key!” She gave me “the look”... again.
I’m beginning to really despise that look.
“I’ll try very hard to be patient and keep my hot head in check, but I can’t make any promises—” Before I could finish my sentence, I ex
perienced a bright flash in my mind and could clearly see someone’s face. Immediately I knew this was my next Tourist and, with that realization, came his name, Mark Whitby.
I shook my head. “Wow! That was wicked.”
Lucie smiled. “Now that’s the look of a girl who’s just received some important information.”
“Well, I know what you mean about just knowing whom you are to help next. I mean, wow, that was weird. My next Tourist is Mark Whitby. Now, how will I know where to find him?” I asked offhandedly, still scratching my head because of the strange experience.
“It’ll come to you in the next day or so, and with it you will feel a general timeline for his death. Not everyone you help is old, Cat. Sometimes you are helping young people like yourself. I’m not sure if you have thought of it this way, but they aren’t always sick either. This man may have an accident in the near future. You’ll need to help him deal with that before it happens, so that he will be able to follow the path chosen for him the moment he was conceived. Just pay attention to what your sight is telling you, and you will have all the information you require.” Her explanation hit me like a ton of bricks. I hadn’t ever thought in those terms before, so it was a little shocking to hear, but at the same time, it also made perfect sense.
“Thanks for the perspective... I hadn’t thought of it like that before. I’ll pay attention.” I popped one more grape in my mouth and finished my thought, “Zane doesn’t have to watch over me tonight, does he?”
Aunt Lucie burst into laughter and tried to answer me in between wiping her eyes and controlling her giggles. “No, he will sleep in his own room, Cat. Sometimes your logic floors me.”
“Just wanted to make sure,” I muttered.
Waiting for the third wheel in our new communal living situation was not a priority for me, especially if I needn’t worry about his presence in my room, so I shuffled up the stairs with the intention of going to bed.
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