Marker of Hope (26 page)

The car gained speed, curving and ascending
through the underground pathways. We rode in silence for long,
uncomfortable minutes. At last, Frederick slowed the car and
shifted the gear to neutral, and the spotlights on the car’s hood
flipped upward.

“This is your stop.” Frederick pointed to the
roof of the tunnel. Not more than two feet above our heads, a metal
square appeared out of nowhere. It was a door exactly like the one
we’d come down through. “But before we go up there, I’d like you to
reconsider. The more you fight fate, the harder fate will fight
back.”

“Sounds like a threat,” I said.

“It’s not a threat,” Frederick said. “It’s
the truth.”

“It’s true.” Galilea leaned forward between
the two front seats. “When you’re meant to do something, life will
have a way of giving you no option but follow the road you’re meant
to walk.”

“Oh, so now life is the one threatening
me?”

“Somewhat,” Frederick said. “You’d be doing
this for humanity.” Fredrick touched my arm, but quickly recoiled
his hand. “Don’t you care about the people of this world?”

“Of course I care. But don’t you understand
the predicament you’re putting me in? I’m pregnant. My priority
right now is this.” I pointed to my belly. “I need to give her the
highest chance at life I possibly can.”

“By being hunted?” Frederick scoffed. “You’re
living like a fugitive—running, hiding, being a prisoner in your
own home. What happens when Turpis find you again, and they show up
in larger numbers at your doorstep? What happens when your family
hasn’t the manpower to fight them off? How much of a chance will
your daughter have then? Or any of you for that matter?”

Yes, Frederick had several colossal facts
weighing in. But aside from protecting my unborn child, I had
another reason for not accepting to lead his army. I was
scared.

“If you don’t do this, others will be
affected,” Galilea said. “This is something on a monumental scale.
If the Council wins, Earth turns into perdition. Humanity dies. And
our kind disappears, too.” She took in a ragged breath. “Besides,
Frederick is offering you protection. We really need extra help,
Isis.”

“I…” I shook my head. “Look, this isn’t the
time to be talking about this. Who knows what state David and the
rest are in? My mom—”

“They’re fine,” Frederick said. “Your mother
and the doctors included. I made sure of it. Ensuring their safety
was part of the plan, as well as keeping you down here until the
danger passed. That’s why I wasn’t in a hurry to bring you
back.”

“See?” Galilea cocked her brow. “He’s a
freaking tactical genius.”

“You’re sure?” I asked, and Frederick nodded.
I wasn’t convinced. “Well, could you open the hatch?” I tried not
to sound as irritated as I felt. “I’d like to see for myself.”

“Then you’ll make your final decision?”
Frederick asked.

“I’m not going to change my mind.” I noted
how Frederick and Galilea’s faces turned sour. “And I’d appreciate
if we don’t broach the subject again.”

With pursed lips, Frederick glanced at
Galilea. He killed the engine, stood up, and pushed open the square
door above me.

“Wait here,” Frederick said. “I’ll do a
perimeter check to make sure it’s safe.”

Frederick heaved himself up, his feet
disappearing last through the opening.

“Isis,” Galilea said as we waited. “I think
you should know something.”

“Do I want to hear it?”

“I don’t care if you do. I’m going to tell
you anyway.” She leaned forward, holding up her index finger.
“You’re a stubborn ass. The Council will keep coming after your
daughter all her life if by some miracle she survives. And assuming
she lives to have children of her own, they’ll come after them too.
So I hope,” she said, “for their sake, your descendants are born
with more common sense than you. And I hope, eventually, they’ll
forgive you for ruining their chances at a normal, happy life.”
Galilea scooted back into the rear seat. “What I wonder is, will
you be able to forgive yourself for not having prevented them from
such grief when you had the chance?”

***

We emerged from the hatch, surfacing between
bushes behind the gazebo, which stood in the backyard of the
estate.

“This entrance would’ve been convenient hours
ago,” I said.

“It wasn’t safe to have you go down at such
close proximity to where you could be seen and followed by Turpis,”
Frederick said. “They would’ve discovered the tunnels.”

“The idea was to lead them away from you,”
Galilea said. “It’s why I sent the doctors and Claire in the
opposite direction.”

“You used them as a diversion? They could’ve
been hurt, Galilea!”

“Nah.” She dusted her pants. “The demons
don’t care about them. It’s you they want. I couldn’t hold the
invisible block on all of us, so I opted to send them off.”

“We still have to go them—the doctors and my
mom,” I reminded her.

“I told you I took care of it,” Frederick
said.

A thin blanket of fog hovered over the
backyard. Droplets of water on the grass blades glistened with the
moon’s light as we walked across it on our way to the house. My
mind was still on Galilea’s last words as I reached for the knob on
the back door. I didn’t turn it.

“Frederick…” I look at him. “How hard would
it be to keep me alive until I give birth?”

“With Galilea’s help,” he said, “the odds are
good. Why do ask?”

“Because I need you to help me stay alive.
And then, I need you to show me how to fight.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Galilea asked.

“I’m saying I’m afraid to lose my daughter,”
I said. “I’ll do whatever’s in my power to secure a happy, healthy
future for her. But in order for that to happen, first I’m going to
need to clear some obstacles.”

“Which means what?” Frederick’s eyes fixed on
mine.

“I don’t see any other choice,” I said, “than
to start a war.”

CHAPTER 29

We walked into the house through the back
door. The kitchen light was lit. The scent of chamomile filled the
air. I turned off the teapot brewing on the stove as it began to
whistle. From somewhere in the house, I heard raised voices. The
bickering got louder as I neared the living room where I saw David
sitting on the white sofa with his head between his hands. No
visible injuries on him as far as I could tell. Everyone except the
doctors Gunn were present, plus two unfamiliar faces. One female,
one male.

As I stood there, I found it odd no one had
yet noticed we were back.

“They can’t see us,” Galilea whispered the
answer to the question floating in my head. “Do you want me to make
you visible to them?”

I whispered back, “Not yet.”

Galen was leaning against a wall next to
Eryx. The twins were scratched up, but nothing too bad. A girl with
bronzed skin and big, black eyes stood next to them. Her curved
framed was fitted with skintight jeans and a black turtleneck. On
the other side of the room, Alezzander was deep in discussion with
a man who looked to be around his late forties, maybe. The two men
seemed unconcerned with Claire’s angered and elevated voice.

I tiptoed around Nyx and headed to David’s
side as I listened to the argument.

“Claire, darling…” Samuel reached out to my
mom.

“Oh, don’t ‘Claire, darling’, me,” Claire
seethed, standing in the middle of the room. “You just keep your
big, fat, lying mouth shut, Samuel. And you, Nyx? How could you
keep this from me? We’re supposed to be friends.”

“We were trying to protect you and Isis,” Nyx
said. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. There were so many
times I wanted to tell you. But would you have believed me or taken
me for an insane person?”

Claire’s mouth tightened. She stared at Nyx
for a silent moment. “Still, you should’ve told me. Isis is all I
have in this world. If I lost her…”

“It’s why Onarit and I are here—to ensure
nothing happens to your daughter. We’ve been searching for the
Marker—”

“Ayrie,” the older man she’d called Onarit
interrupted, “Frederick will be the one to explain further. Let’s
wait until he arrives with the girl. We don’t want to disquiet
Claire further.”

Ayrie nodded her agreement.

“And when will that be?” Claire looked at her
watch. “It’s been hours. If your people don’t bring my daughter to
me soon, I’ll go find her myself. None of you, no demon, or even
the devil himself, will keep me from doing it. You can’t keep me
here all night against my will.” She looked around the room at
them. “I know about the law. This right here could be deemed a
kidnapping. Do you hear me?
Kidnapping
!”

The people in the room—invisible and
visible—looked at my mother as if she were a lunatic. I didn’t
doubt she was on the verge of becoming one, which wouldn’t be
healthy for anyone, especially her. I shot a glance at Galilea and
nodded, letting her know it was okay to make me visible. I walked
up behind Claire.

“Mom,” I said, and she jumped. “You’re
embarrassing me.”

Claire gasped and pulled me into her in a big
bear hug. “Isis… Oh, thank goodness! I was so worried.” She pulled
me away and studied me from head to toe. “Are you okay? Did those
things hurt you?”

“No.” I took her hands. “They didn’t even
touch me. How’s your arm?” I glanced at the burn marks. “Does it
hurt?”

“A little. Tobias put some burn ointment on
it.”

“Where are they—the doctors?” I asked.

“Upstairs, resting. They’re pretty beat up.
The ultrasound machine landed on them. Eileen broke an arm and
Tobias his nose. He thinks some of Eileen’s ribs may be
fractured.”

“I didn’t think they were so badly hurt,” I
said. “They didn’t seem to be.”

“With the scare and rush of adrenaline, I
don’t think they realized it either.”

“But otherwise, they’re okay?”

“They’re holding up well.” I heard David’s
voice behind me, and I turned around. “How’s the baby?”

“Alive and kicking,” I said. He hugged me
hard. I broke the embrace to look at everyone. “Did anyone else get
hurt?”

“No, we’re all fine,” David said. “Onarit and
Ayrie arrived just in time to help us take down the demons. Poor
Eileen and Dr. Gunn got the worst of it.”

“Good evening, ma’am. It’s a pleasure,” I
heard Frederick say. He was shaking Claire’s hand when I turned to
view them. “I’m Frederick, Commanding Officer.”

“Hello, Frederick. I’m Claire, pissed-off
mother,” she replied.

“I don’t blame you, ma’am.” Frederick held a
straight face. “It’s been a rough night for you. I hope Ayrie was
quick to find you?”

“She scared the bejeezus out of us in the old
church Galilea sent us to, but otherwise, she was helpful. Thank
you for sending her to get us.”

Frederick tipped his head at her, then
stepped forward and shook David’s hand.

After getting acquainted with Onarit and
Ayrie, we sat Claire down and had a long talk with her.

It was past two in the morning after we’d
briefed Claire on everything she needed to know. Then came time to
tell her about the story of the Marker of Hope, and how I planned
to take down the enemy. The news didn’t go over well. She
protested. Of course. She screamed at Samuel, then at Nyx and
Alezzander, accusing them of putting ideas in my head, telling them
they’d driven me to the same level of crazy they were. Then it got
personal. Nyx screamed back at Claire, telling her this never
would’ve happened if she would’ve known better than to sleep
around. Claire responded by calling Nyx offensive names, at which
point, Samuel and Galilea tried to intervene, but they got shoved
aside by David, who looked like he was on the verge of saying
something he’d regret to Claire. I shot a desperate glance to Eryx
and Galen, but they shook their heads, wanting nothing to do with
the argument. Frederick and the two newcomers to our allegiance
stood by as spectators of the theatrical drama taking place in the
living room. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise, and the tension… It
pressed down on me like a two-ton boulder.

“Shut up!” I exploded.

The room grew silent, except for Claire, who
just wouldn’t quit.

“We’re leaving, Isis,” Claire informed me.
“Grab your things.”

“No,” I said.

She grabbed my arm. “They’ve brainwashed you.
Can’t you see that?”

“Isis isn’t leaving,” David said.

“You wanna bet, pretty boy?” Claire
seethed.

“Would you stop?” I snapped. “It’s my turn to
talk. The ideas in my head are mine. I’m as stubborn as you, Mom.
No one influences me, but me.” I jerked my arm away from her grasp.
“Wasn’t it you who taught me to protect my family, to defend my
ideas, to fight for what I think is just? You’ve been brave for me
all your life.” I breathed in a ragged breath and lowered my tone.
“I don’t need you to be brave for me anymore. What I need is your
support, because now, it’s time for me to be brave for
my
daughter. Can you do that—let me be my daughter’s hero, like you’ve
been to me?”

“No.” Claire closed her eyes. Two lines
formed between her eyebrows. She hiccupped, and streams of tears
wet her face. “Dear God, why is this happening?” She curled her
fists. “Isis, I don’t know how to protect you from any of
this.”

I hated seeing her cry. I put my arms around
her, and she cried into my hair.

“But Claire,” Nyx stepped forward, “you don’t
have to. We’ve been doing it all this time—making sure she’s safe.
Isis is part of our family. Are you forgetting she’s carrying
my
grandchild, too?”

Nyx’s words made Claire cry harder. She
released her hold on me and hugged Nyx. “I’m sorry. You’ve been
such a good friend to me. I just get so crazy when it comes to
Isis.”

“You don’t say?” Galen mumble, and Galilea
elbowed him in the stomach.