by KT Webb
“Did you talk to your mom?” Kerr asked carefully.
“Yeah, and it’s a load of crap if you ask me,” Whitley shot at him.
“Whitley, I get it. I get it so much more than you can imagine.” Kerr gently squeezed her shoulder.
“So have you seen everything for everyone or what?” Whitley asked.
Kerr exchanged a troubled look with Romulus. He knew he couldn’t say anything, and he really didn’t have anything to say that would make her feel better.
“Whitley, it doesn’t really work that way. I’ve seen bits and pieces of our futures, and all I can tell you is you will be okay. But you have to make your own choices.”
Whitley nodded her head and quietly continued down another path in search of some solace.
Romulus came up behind Kerr and put his hand on his shoulder. Kerr stared out at the trees for a few more moments before turning to continue his questions.
“I think I should start by getting to know her,” Kerr said matter-of-factly. “I haven’t even read her yet. I was going to during dinner last night, but it felt like I was intruding. Is that weird?”
Romulus smiled and chuckled quietly. “See? You already feel the connection with her. Maybe it was love at first sight, you just didn’t recognize it.”
Kerr shrugged his shoulders. He thought back to the moment he first saw her. He’d been so preoccupied with everything else that was happening that he couldn’t even pinpoint his initial reaction to her. He remembered looking at Nora at the dinner table and wanting to know more about her. He remembered making her angry when he said those hurtful things to Romulus. He remembered the strange way she responded to his jealous remarks. But he couldn’t remember if there had been a deeper connection.
Nora. She was definitely beautiful. He leaned against a tree, thinking about her emerald eyes and wavy hair flowing down her back. He realized he had only heard her laugh once, but it was not the laughter that comes from happiness or humor, it was the laughter that came from incredulity. Nora. As he heard the words of his prophecy, he saw it all, felt it all, and could now admit that he wanted it all. He smiled as he thought about how he would act when he saw her next.
Kerr realized that without even spending any time alone with her, he was beginning to feel the love he’d glimpsed in his visions of the future.
“Look at me,” he said to Romulus. “I’ve barely spoken to her and I’m already falling in love just thinking about what our future could hold.”
“Now you’re talking! Just remember, this won’t be as simple for her as it is for you. She doesn’t know what you know. She hasn’t felt it yet. You’re going to have to take your time and let her get to know you before you try to jump in with both feet,” Romulus warned. “But I know you can do it. You’ve got me and Dorian to help you win her heart.”
Kerr nodded confidently, then closed his eyes. He let himself spend a few moments in the visions of the future; their first kiss, the moment she’d say yes, their marriage, and finally, their child. The beginning.
Chapter Nineteen:
Nora
Nora was angry. She had taken off running after the prophecies were done, and hadn’t stopped even though she could feel Dorian behind her. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting to hear when she received her prophecy, but it wasn’t a cryptic message about being part of the future. She knew in her heart that being one of The Evolved may mean ushering in the New Era, but it also meant ending the lives of the three people who meant the most to her.
Her prophecy hadn’t told her anything she didn’t know. Of course she thought she was the end, and of course the beginning of the New Era was coming from her, as well as the other Evolved. Ridiculous. That’s what this whole prophecy nonsense was, ridiculous.
“Would you slow down?” she heard Dorian yell behind her.
She decided to disobey him for the first time in her life and pushed herself to run faster. It was liberating to run through those ancient trees. She continued to run without a care until she felt the desperation in Dorian’s pull behind her. She slowed her run to a jog, slowed her jog to a walk, and then stopped all together. Dorian arrived behind her only a moment later.
“Look down,” Dorian said with a hint of anger in his voice.
Nora looked down and realized the ground opened to a vast ravine just beyond where she’d stopped. She rolled her eyes and turned to face Dorian.
“What do you want?” she asked icily.
“I need to talk to you,” Dorian replied simply.
“About what? About this ridiculous prophecy you just gave me? I have no interest in talking about it. I’ve already figured it out,” she spat back at him.
“I don’t think you did. It’s not as simple as you think,” Dorian said quietly.
Nora didn’t understand how he could possibly be so calm and almost happy about this.
“You’re going to die. What part of that don’t you understand? I’m going to be responsible for ending your life and beginning the New Era. Somehow, even though there are five of us, it’s all coming from me,” she replied incredulously.
Dorian smiled warmly at her. “Like I said, it’s not as simple as you think. First of all, you need to know that we are not going to die. We will simply become mortal.”
Nora felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She wasn’t going to lose them? Her family would still be there after all this; that thought alone was enough for her. A slow smile spread across her face as she lunged into Dorian’s arms.
“You have a very important future, dear Nora, and I need you to know I’ll be here to support you every step of the way. We all will,” Dorian said as he kissed her head.
“So why will the beginning come from within me?” Nora asked. “There are five of us, aren’t we supposed to do this together?”
“That, my dear, will be revealed to you in time,” Dorian replied as he took her hand and began walking with her back toward the ruins. “We should probably get everyone back to the house, don’t you think?”
As they walked back through the woods, they found Thatcher leaning against a tree.
“You guys ready to go? I want to get back and check on Malcolm. That kid is probably pretty freaked out since we left him all by himself,” Thatcher said pointedly.
“I’m ready, we just need to gather everyone else up to head back,” Nora replied.
Dorian walked ahead of them, sending out his calling to the rest of the group. Nora noticed Thatcher casting her sidelong glances as they made their way through the trees.
“What are you thinking about?” Thatcher asked her quietly.
“I really don’t know what to think. I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me. I can hardly breathe,” Nora replied honestly.
Thatcher nodded his head. “I think I know what you mean. I think my prophecy is about the kid. I have to help him break free from Absalom so he can choose the right path.”
Nora nodded half-heartedly. She wasn’t sure if he’d worked out the details correctly, just as she wasn’t sure what her own prophecy could mean. But she knew it was important for Thatcher to keep an eye on Malcolm whether he was meant to save him or not.
“I think the most important thing is that we all know that, no matter what, we’re in this together. No matter what our prophecies mean, no matter what the future holds, we’re all heading toward the same goal,” Nora said as they made their way up a hill.
She took a moment to think about her prophecy now that she was able to clear her mind. She was not surprised that she was considered the heart. Her whole life, she’d been the only one of the Evolved to be at the heart of the situation, and now she was probably the one who would keep them all going. Nora knew that, no matter what her prophecy meant, she would gladly accept her role as the heart of the group.
They walked a few more minutes in silence before reaching the top of the hill where the ruins of the temple sat. Hadley, Tahlia, and Whitley were all standing together looking out over the mo
untainside; Tahlia had an arm around each of her daughters, which warmed Nora’s heart. She looked to the other side of the clearing and saw Romulus and Kerr making their way down the hill. Nora smiled to herself at the sight of her aunt and uncle finally spending time with those they held most dear. Once everyone arrived, she nodded to Dorian, closed her eyes, and focused on the library. The nausea was less than the last time she transported everyone, but she felt an overwhelming exhaustion creeping over her.
Chapter Twenty:
Thatcher
As the library materialized around him, he was able to breathe again. He was looking right at Malcolm as they arrived and saw that the boy was holding a book. Thatcher knew it was his duty to protect Malcolm, so he quickly made his way to his side and gently lifted the book from his lap. He saw the page Malcolm had left off on, and read the information himself.
For the first time since joining this group, he realized the implications of being descended from Absalom, and knew how deep the bond was that he and Malcolm shared. He put the book back on the shelf while everyone else regained their composure. Malcolm began to wake as the group began talking loudly about their time at the temple ruins.
He caught Malcolm’s eye and indicated that he should follow him quietly. He saw Nora watching him with a strained face as he led the boy to the door. Thatcher led Malcolm down the hall away from the front entrance. He found a door and opened it, then allowed Malcolm to enter first. He heard everyone saying their goodnights in the hallway and waited patiently for the noise to die down before he turned to Malcolm.
“Okay, kid. Spill it,” Thatcher said with his arms crossed.
“I don’t think I know what you’re talking about, dude,” Malcolm replied, trying to sound cool.
“Don’t play cute with me, Malcolm. I saw you. You were talking to that red-haired freak. You were talking to the guy Nora and Whitley risked their lives confronting so they could save your butt,” Thatcher whispered urgently.
He could tell Malcolm was fighting an inner battle, and he waited patiently to see which side won. He took a look around the room they had ended up in, realizing for the first time it was some kind of storage closet.
“Alright, fine. I was talking to my uncle, Absalom. So what? Aren’t you the least bit curious to learn about the so-called ‘red haired freak’ you and I are both related to?” Malcolm asked with a hint of sarcasm.
“Why would I want to know about him? His crazy brother tried to kill me!” Thatcher threw back.
“Absalom was not happy about that. He doesn’t want Silas to kill you, he wants to meet you. We’re his only living descendants,” Malcolm answered indignantly.
“Yeah, and do you know why we’re his only living descendants? Because he killed the rest!” Thatcher spat.
“Is that what they told you? Hmm, well, there are two sides to every story,” Malcolm answered innocently.
“What the heck is that supposed to mean? It’s pretty black and white. He’s a maniac, killing everyone he can to get his hands on more power,” Thatcher answered. “I saw the book you were reading. Absalom is the devil. Literally.”
Malcolm turned white as a ghost for a few brief moments before regaining his composure. Thatcher knew he had surprised him by reading that page.
“That’s just what Dorian and his gang of misfits want us to think,” Malcolm pleaded. “Uncle Abe has always been there for me. He took me in after my parents died.”
“Uncle Abe? You have got to be kidding me! We are talking about the guy who literally incinerated Kerr’s father in the middle of a public sidewalk. He probably killed your parents and decided to keep you as a consolation prize. Maybe he thinks the older you are, the more power he can steal from you when he finally does you in!” Thatcher yelled.
Malcolm shook his head at Thatcher. He looked hurt and angry. There were tears welling up in his eyes.
“Oh yeah, Thatcher? And who killed your parents? Silas? Absalom? No. Maybe you should stop and think about how alike you and Absalom are before you start hurling insults at him.” And with that, Malcolm flung the door open and took off running.
Thatcher was left reeling from the verbal slap he’d just received from Malcolm. From the moment he read the page in that book all he could think about was how different he was from his ancestor. But now, he realized Malcolm could be right. Maybe he is just as bad as Absalom. Instead of having his parents taken from him like the other Evolved, he had been responsible for their deaths. He closed his eyes, blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall.
What was he doing here? He didn’t fit in with this group. Malcolm fit in more than he did. He was a killer, just like Absalom. Maybe his concern for the kid wasn’t really for Malcolm’s well-being, but stemmed from the jealousy he felt at being close to Absalom; the only real family he had left. Maybe his prophecy really was meant for Malcolm; he was an orphan too. Malcolm had the ability to choose which path he was going to take, but it seemed Thatcher’s was already laid out for him.
Before he composed himself enough to leave the storage room, he remembered something Dorian had said before he told him his prophecy. He remembered him saying he was a child of two descendants of the Old Immortals. What did that mean? He knew which parent came from Absalom as he remembered his father’s bright red hair and bushy red beard, but who was his mother?
Maybe his path wasn’t as concrete as he thought moments ago. If his mother was descended from the good side of the Old Immortals, maybe his soul wasn’t as tainted as he feared. He took a deep breath and opened the door. When he did, he found himself staring into two deep brown eyes. Hadley. She smiled sheepishly at him and took his hand.
“I’m sorry for eavesdropping,” she said genuinely.
“How much did you hear?” Thatcher asked in anguish.
“Everything.” Hadley looked down at the floor briefly, then back into Thatcher’s deep gray eyes. “You’re not who he says, you know.”
All at once, Thatcher pulled Hadley to him, then cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her deeply. He was pleased when Hadley wrapped her arms around him and returned his kiss ardently. The initial urgency of the kiss died down to a sweet embrace and a few gentle kisses. He pulled back slowly and looked down at Hadley with uncertainty. She smiled, stood on her tiptoes, and planted another quick kiss on his lips.
“That was nice,” Hadley said quietly.
Thatcher laughed. “Just nice, huh?”
Hadley punched him playfully in the arm. “Well, you almost kissed me earlier, but you chickened out.”
Thatcher took her hand and began to walk down the hallway with her. “I seem to recall more pressing matters at the time.”
“Yes, well, with us facing imminent danger and all, we shouldn’t let opportunities like that pass by us again.” She winked at him as they made their way up the stairs to their rooms.
Thatcher walked Hadley to her door and gently kissed her. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said as he turned back to his room.
“Goodnight!” Hadley called as she closed her door.
Thatcher walked into his room, closed the door, and threw himself on the bed. This had definitely been the weirdest day of his life.
Chapter Twenty-One:
Malcolm
Malcolm left the house in a hurry, afraid Thatcher would alert the others to his identity. He truly hoped Thatcher would follow him. He was supposed to be bringing him back to Absalom. As soon as he was outside he shot up into the sky. He loved the freedom flying gave him. It was a freedom he could never be allowed on the ground. Absalom had always kept a short leash on him, but Malcolm always thought it was because he wanted to protect him. But after reading more about Abe, he wasn’t so sure.
Maybe he only wanted him around so he could use him to get to the Evolved. As he flew over Newall he couldn’t help but wonder what was going to happen next. He had failed. He hadn’t been able to get Thatcher to leave with him. He got so angry when Thatcher was attacking Absalom.
Even if Absalom wasn’t one of the good guys, he was the only family Malcolm really had. He continued out past the town to an old farm. He began his descent when he saw the large metal outbuilding that had become his home.
Absalom saw him coming, one of the abilities he’d stolen from Cole Mason. He was waiting outside when Malcolm landed.
“You were unsuccessful,” he said simply.
“Well, maybe if you’d stayed away from that house they wouldn’t have mistrusted me so quickly,” Malcolm said bravely.
“Do not question me,” Absalom said menacingly.
Malcolm looked at the ground, unsure of what to say. He had never been so bold as to challenge Absalom, especially when it came to the decisions he made regarding the Evolved.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
“Follow me, boy. We have much to discuss,” Absalom said as he turned and headed back into the building.
Malcolm followed him, feeling apprehensive about the conversation he was sure would be coming next. The outbuilding was large and open inside. It had once been used to store farm equipment, but had long been abandoned. He and Absalom had moved in a few years ago, converting the store rooms into bedrooms, and using the wide open space for training. He walked in to find Silas waiting on one of the couches in the corner. If they were both here, he was definitely in trouble.
“It’s time you learned who you really are and why failure is not an option,” Absalom told him, motioning for him to take a seat.
Malcolm sat down on the hard simple couch opposite the one Silas was perched on. He didn’t want to be next to him if he was about to get punished.
“After meeting the Evolved, have you found yourself wondering why you are different from them?” Absalom asked quietly.
“I guess I didn’t really give it much thought. I assumed that you had chosen me based on opportunity, and that’s what makes me different,” Malcolm replied honestly.