by K C Otenti
“I can’t kill someone in cold blood. Not again.”
“Again?”
“We should separate some, to give him two targets. If he shoots at one of us, the other can cover.”
Gideon responded by moving away. When there were several yards between them, they approached the Chasm.
“Where’s my idol?” Jimmy demanded.
“I have it,” Aideen said.
“All right, then. Hand it over.”
Aideen looked to Gideon, who trained his bow on Jimmy’s head and nodded. Aideen lowered hers to pull out the idol, holding it up.
“Throw it to me.”
Aideen saw an opportunity. She wasn’t sure if it was a good one; it would definitely piss Jimmy off. She looked at Gideon and raised her eyebrows. He furrowed his brow but reset his position and stared at Jimmy.
Pray to the Ostrich this works out.
She threw the idol. It went over Jimmy’s head and clattered into the Chasm.
“You nonpat!” Jimmy shouted. He turned to look over the edge of the Chasm.
Gideon shot an arrow into the middle of Jimmy’s back. Jimmy stumbled away from the edge, roaring. He turned, raised his gun, and shot at Gideon.
Aideen fought the urge to drop to the ground and instead dropped her bow and arrow. Pulling out her sword and charging at Jimmy, she wondered if Gideon was okay. It was a brief thought; it didn’t matter now. She had to stop Jimmy, once and for all.
Jimmy saw her coming and turned his gun on her. He pulled the trigger, but either he was out of bullets or the gun misfired. He threw it at Aideen, and she ducked her head to avoid getting hit. She swung her sword as Jimmy dove out of the way. She followed him and swung again. Jimmy rolled and leaped to his feet.
He’s more spry than I would have guessed.
Jimmy stood defensively. Aideen pointed the sword at him.
“Gideon?”
“I’m okay. Get him.”
Aideen didn’t dare look at Gideon. One mistake, and she wouldn’t be returning home. She and Jimmy circled, waiting for the other to trip or look away. As they moved, Gideon came into Aideen’s sight. He was bleeding from his right arm, but he stood and moved toward Jimmy. Aideen charged. Jimmy moved backward, away from Aideen.
“You’re not a killer, Aideen.” Jimmy said. “Even at your lowest moment, you’d never do that.”
“But I have killed.” She still wasn’t proud of it, but it felt good to contradict Jimmy.
“How do you think my brother will feel if you kill me?”
“Brother?” Aideen stopped in her tracks. If I kill Jimmy, will his brother seek revenge?
Gideon ran into Jimmy, shoulder first, knocking him off balance.
For a long second, Jimmy teetered on the edge of the Chasm. Aideen saw the horror on his face just before he fell. His scream would haunt her dreams for many nights to come.
Aideen peered down, verifying Jimmy had fallen beyond the point of climbing back up. He lay twitching on an outcropping a few hundred feet down. She turned and went to Gideon, who was splayed on the ground.
“Are you okay?” She helped him to his feet.
“Just shot in the arm. I’ll be fine. Is he dead?”
“Soon. He’s not getting back out of there, at any rate. Give me your sleeve.”
“What?”
“Your sleeve. I’ll make a tourniquet.”
Gideon took off his whole shirt and handed it to her. She tore it and tied it around his arm.
“We did it,” he said.
“The Trappers will choose a new leader.”
“They wouldn’t dare. Not after all this.”
“They still outnumber us.”
“Did you know he had a brother?”
“No,” Gideon said.
“Should we be worried?”
“I’d bet Jimmy was the evil one. Let’s just enjoy the victory.” Gideon pulled her to him with his good arm and kissed her.
Aideen pulled back. Gideon’s cheeks flushed crimson.
“Let’s save any celebration for when we return in one piece.” She looked toward the woods. “We don’t know if anyone was waiting for him.”
Gideon frowned but took up his bow and arrow in one hand. They set out across the craglands toward what almost felt like home now.
Almost.
THE REFUSE AND ALLIES—those who had survived—gathered in the dining hall that evening. They cheered and clapped as Aideen and Gideon stood on a table, reenacting their encounter with Jimmy.
“Long live the Prophesied One!”
“Hail Gideon!”
Aideen stepped down from the table as Gideon basked in the praise.
“You deserve accolades, too,” Sterling said. He put one arm around her shoulders as he handed her a gojoos.
“He can have them,” she twisted the fruit apart and sunk her teeth into the juicy flesh. “I’m happy sneaking out the back.”
“You think Gideon really is the Prophesied One?”
“He’s the one who defeated Jimmy.” She wiped the dripping juice from her chin.
When Aideen and Gideon had returned to the Bo, Gideon had sent a Refuse to take word of Jimmy’s defeat—and the idol’s loss—to the Trappers. The Trappers had sent back the promise of a detente. Aideen wasn’t sure whether to trust it, but the Refuse eagerly accepted it.
Sterling’s arm dropped from her shoulders. “You think Jimmy was D’Nal Harrim’s greatest evil?”
“I sure hope so. If he’s not, you guys are on your own.” She polished off the gojoos. “Jimmy mentioned something about having a brother.”
Sterling’s jaw dropped. “Did he say who it was?”
“No. But what if he picks up where Jimmy left off? What if he’s worse?”
“You don’t have to worry about him.”
Gideon climbed down from the table to join them.
“They want me to stay and lead them. Can you imagine me as President of D’Nal Harrim?”
“We don’t have presidents,” Sterling said.
Gideon waved a hand.
“The title’s not important. What’s important is that all this is behind us now, and the Refuse trust me to keep them safe. Aideen, how’d you like to be the First Lady? Or queen, or whatever?”
“I can’t stay, Gideon. The woman I’ve thought of as the worst mother in the world deserves an apology. I’m hoping she can provide some explanation for why she’s been pretending to be my mom this whole time. I have some other relationships that ended . . . Poorly. I need to do what I can to make those right.”
Gideon’s shoulders drooped.
“If you ever come back, the offer remains open.” He turned to Sterling. “You’re sticking around, right? I could use an advisor.”
If Gideon heeds Sterling’s advice, maybe it won’t be so bad.
“I’d be honored,” Sterling gave a curt bow.
“I have to find Jesse. He’d make a great general.” Gideon waded through the crowd, who stopped him to shake his hand or pat him on the back on his way by.
Uneasiness churned in Aideen’s gut, despite her relief that the war was over. Part of it was relinquishing credit for helping to stop the war. If she was completely honest, there was a modicum of resentment. But she’d get over it. What worried her was Gideon leading the Refuse.
“You’ll keep an eye on him?” Aideen asked Sterling.
Sterling nodded.
“I don’t think he’s ready to lead,” he said. “But if that’s what the Refuse want, I won’t dissuade them. I will do everything in my power to guide him well.”
Chapter Nineteen
Where did all the instruments come from? Behind the Bo, Refuse and the allies from the East gathered in the warm, mid-morning sunlight: playing, singing, dancing, cheering. No drinking, of course. That would be like holding a kegger at a rehab center. But everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Even Aideen’s longing for her beloved bourbon seemed to be subsiding.
She laughed, watching every
one. Jesse and Julie spun each other around to the music. Gideon was learning the words to the song from a D’Nalian. Even Del was enjoying himself. He couldn’t sing, but he took up an instrument that resembled a guitar and played along deftly.
Despite the pervasive joy and relief, Aideen couldn’t help but think of those lost. The Ostrich, Ash, Shay, even Rio . . . She wished they could be here, to celebrate with them.
We celebrate in their honor. She wiped a tear from her cheek.
Aideen was considering whether to join in the dancing or to try her hand at the D’Nalian guitar when Sterling caught her eye from across the crowd.
AIDEEN MET STERLING near the gym and strolled north.
“This has been quite the adventure,” Sterling said, swinging a bag from one hand as they walked.
“You can say that again. I could never have dreamed of anything like it.”
“Will you be okay, going back home?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Sterling stopped and turned to face her.
“You spent the last few days fighting in a war. How long will have passed in your world?”
“Only two or three hours.”
“You’ll go home, having gone through all this, and the people who saw you yesterday will wonder what’s wrong with you.”
“The only people who saw me all weekend were Jimmy and my mother, or whoever she is. Mother never knew me, and Jimmy’s not in a position to be concerned.”
“My point is, you’ve fought an entire war, you’ve been tortured and injured—nearly killed, you’ve seen close friends killed—”
“And I’ve killed,” she stared past Sterling.
“No one will believe you if you try to talk about it with people in your world. They’ll think you’re crazy.”
She shook her head and looked into his eyes. “I’ll be fine. But I have some figurative demons back home to deal with.”
“I understand. But know I am thinking about you, always.”
“Will you be fine?”
Sterling stroked her cheek as his smile quivered. “I’ll manage.”
“What about Jimmy’s brother? Until we find out who it is, we have to assume he’s a threat.”
“He won’t give us any trouble.”
“You know who he is?”
“We’ll figure things out,” Sterling said. “Whether Gideon’s ready for this, he’s put together a strong team around him. D’Nal Harrim will thrive again.” Sterling grinned and put his arms around Aideen. “To be honest, I’m surprised Gideon turned out to be the Prophesied One.”
“I thought you said he fit the prophecy’s description.”
“Yes, but . . . Knowing what I know about the Immortal One, and learning of your father and his story, I would have guessed that your father was the Immortal One. If that were so, it would make you the true Prophesied One.”
Aideen said nothing.
“I’m not usually wrong . . . Maybe something got lost in the story’s telling over generations.”
She nodded. “People are always changing stories to suit themselves.”
“At any rate, you need to move on with your life, in your world. Don’t stop living on account of me.”
Aideen threw her arms around Sterling’s neck and pulled him against her.
“I’ll visit. Every weekend.”
“So, how long until I see you again?”
Aideen did the math. “Almost five months.”
Sterling pulled Nox’s necklace from his pocket.
“You kept that?”
“Remember how I said the white stones are communication stones?”
Aideen remembered when they found the necklace, clutched in Lux’s dead hand. She also remembered the necklace she was wearing. She lifted the pendant and looked at it.
“If we each have one . . .”
“We can talk every day.”
“You realize if you call me on this every day, I’ll be talking to you every hour. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I may get sick of you.”
Sterling laughed.
“Okay, how about I only call you once a week?”
Aideen raised an eyebrow.
“Every other week?”
Aideen nodded. “Where are we going to do this?”
“Follow me.”
Sterling continued north and Aideen followed in silence. They came to a small pond, surrounded by shrubbery, and stones placed so one could sit and gaze into the water. Aideen peered down at the still water, smiling at the face beaming up at her.
“A reflection pond.”
“It’s the closest mirror.” Sterling sat on the stone next to her. “Or we could walk all the way to my house . . .”
“This is fine.” Aideen looked into Sterling’s eyes. “I want to say something, but I’m afraid I won’t get home if I did.”
Sterling furrowed his brow.
“My heart’s desire . . . The portal will only open if what I desire most is on the other side, right?”
Sterling took her hand. “You don’t have to say it. I know.”
Aideen looked down at her reflection and opened her mouth.
“Wait,” Sterling held up the bag. “I almost forgot. Gojoos for you.”
Aideen took the bag. “Thank you. This will make the next few days a little more pleasant.”
Sterling stroked her hair and she looked back to the pond’s surface. She spoke the incantation before she started to cry. The pond lit up and revealed Aideen’s bathroom.
“I wish I had thought to clean. Or to move the mirror somewhere nicer before I came through.” She laughed.
Sterling squeezed her hand. “May the wind from the Ostrich’s wings always be at your back.”
“And may it bring me back to D’Nal Harrim.”
AIDEEN FELL THROUGH the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. It hadn’t helped that she had gone through a horizontal portal and came out through a vertical one.
Do they teach how to travel between worlds in D’Nalian schools?
She gathered the gojoos that had spilled from the bag, then went to the sink and looked at her reflection in the smaller mirror on the medicine cabinet door. The lines on her face and the bags under her eyes were more pronounced than ever. Her hair was messy and limp, and she was gaunt, like she’d lost ten or fifteen pounds. She smiled.
I look like crap, but I’ve earned it.
She felt for her cell phone and checked the time. It was one in the afternoon on Sunday. She had been gone only two-and-a-half hours . . . As far as anyone on Earth was concerned, she’d only been in D’Nal Harrim for a total of five hours. But she had lived for almost a week during that time. How had Jimmy and Nox managed the difference?
Aideen stripped off her D’Nalian clothes and stepped into her shower. There were showers at the Bo but using a shower in a dorm was never the same as using your own. She savored the hot water against her skin, letting it wash away the horrors of the past week.
Once she was clean and dry, Aideen went downstairs to the kitchen. A bottle of bourbon sat on the counter, taunting her. The sight of it turned her stomach. She placed the gojoos on the counter and grabbed the bottle. Twisting the bottle open, she dumped the liquor down the sink drain. When it was empty, she threw the bottle into the wastebasket.
She tore through her cabinets, emptying all the liquor bottles and throwing them into the trash. She slammed them harder and harder into the wastebasket, listening to the bottles break. The sound satisfied her.
She made her way through the rest of the house, gathering stashed bottles. They followed their comrades into the trash. Hands on her hips, Aideen stood looking at the shards in the trash.
I can still smell it.
Aideen tied up the trash bag, pulled it from the wastebasket, and walked it outside to the trash can. She took a step back but then picked up the can with both hands and carried it around the front of the house and out to the curb.
Trash pickup didn’t happen for
another three days. Short of taking the damn bag to the dump herself, she had done everything she could to get the alcohol out of her life.
“So, turn around and go back inside and forget about it, okay?”
She returned to the kitchen to put all but one gojoos in the fridge. She brought the gojoos with her to living room, where she decided she would display her dad’s things. No more boxes in closets. She draped the baby blanket over her armchair, like a throw. She left the book out on the coffee table. And the necklace . . .
I’ll wear it every day. That way, I can go back whenever I want. She sat on the couch and bit into the gojoos as she thought about what Sterling had said about her dad’s story. My Dad, the Immortal One.
Pain gripped her. She wished that were true. She’d give almost anything to see her dad again, especially now she knew the truth. How wonderful it would be to talk to him about it. To have him tell her about her family, her brothers . . . Her real mother.
She finished the gojoos and was pleasantly surprised when her stomach growled. Her appetite was coming back at last.
Had ‘Mother’ known anything? Obviously, she knew she wasn’t Aideen’s real mom. But did she know who Aideen’s dad really was, and what had happened to Aideen’s family? It warranted another phone call.
“Mother . . . Barb, I know the truth about my dad. Part of it, anyway. I was hoping you could tell me what you know, if you know anything, about my real family.”
A loud sigh greeted Aideen’s ear.
“I apologize for lying to you, all these years. You thought I was a monster of a mother, and I don’t blame you. I would have, too. But I wanted my own life and didn’t quite know how to tell you the truth. It’s so crazy, to this day I wonder if I even believe it.”
“I’d like it if you and your boyfriend would have dinner at my place sometime this week. We can talk—for real—and get to know each other.”
“I’d like that very much. I’ll see when Frank is free and text you.”
“Great.” Aideen hung up feeling lighter than air. Yes, Barb had hurt Aideen as a child, but knowing there was more to it . . . Somehow that made it easier. Aideen was no longer at fault.
She realized that Grandad wasn’t her real grandfather either. The man she had believed was her grandfather, whom she had loved fiercely, whom she had idolized, had never been her flesh and blood.