Shimmer: The Rephaim Book 3 (32 page)

‘So we should have left them there?’ I ask.

‘You should have exercised patience and discipline.’

Daniel catches my eye and shakes his head in a warning. But I’m out of patience. And discipline.

‘Dani had another vision.’

The fidgeting and shuffling stops.

‘The Gatekeepers are going to Pandanus Beach to kill as many men, women and children as they can find.’

Nathaniel doesn’t blink. ‘They would not risk it.’

‘They would and they will—to punish me.’

‘Not everything is about you,’ Calista snaps.

‘Zarael wants payback for us destroying the house—you said it yourself, Calista. He’s wreaked havoc here, but not enough to give him access to us. The only other place he knows he can bait us into a fight is Pan Beach.’

‘No, that’s the only place he can bait
you
into a fight. You and Rafa are the only Rephaim with a connection to it.’

‘And me,’ Taya says. ‘I have an attachment.’

‘When is this supposed to happen?’ It’s Malachi who asks.

‘Dani says it starts on the beach during an electrical storm. We’ve checked: there’s one forecast for Wednesday afternoon.’ Which on Pan Beach time is two days away.

‘Storms are not uncommon in that part of the world at this time of the year,’ Nathaniel says. ‘I could help pinpoint the event more accurately if you would allow me to search her mind.’

‘You can’t. She’s gone.’

I’m not lying. Jason has taken her back to Rome with Maggie and Maria. They won’t be there long. Regardless of the threat—or because of it—Maggie is desperate to get back to her mum in Pan Beach. God knows what she plans to tell her. And Maria is desperate to take Dani anywhere we aren’t. I have no idea how that discussion is going to play out with Dani.

Nathaniel stares at me. It feels like the air has dropped a few degrees. ‘I must wonder, Gabriella, if you are intentionally blocking my access to anyone who claims to receive visions and revelation. You hid this child seer from me. You did not tell me about the women in Iowa until it was too late, and then you destroyed the iron room before I could study it. And now you tell me about an attack on humans—an unprecedented and brazen attack—and will not afford me the opportunity to examine the one who has seen it. I acceded to your wishes to let the child stay here on the understanding I would speak with her in time, and now you have allowed her to be removed—’

‘We need to go to Pan Beach.’

‘No, Gabriella, we do not.’

Is he kidding? Not taking on the demons in Iowa is one thing, but refusing to protect humans when there is a clear threat?

‘If they attack Pandanus Beach, the Gatekeepers and their hell spawn will bring down the wrath of heaven.’ Nathaniel looks around the room. ‘None of you want to be caught in the crossfire when that happens.’

‘If the Angelic Garrison gives a crap about us, or humans, they’ll drag their shining arses down into this world and back us up.’

‘Gabe, enough,’ Daniel says.

I ignore him, approach the dais. Jude and Rafa follow and the Rephaim part to let us through. We stop at the foot of the first step. ‘Are you worried that taking on Zarael in a full battle will trigger some promised war between angels and demons?’

‘It is not “some promised war”, Gabriella. It is the final battle between heaven and hell you speak of so lightly. And it is not your war to fight until you have earned your place on the battlefield. You have the authority to defend yourselves against demons: you have no mandate to attack—no matter what the cause. That is for the Garrison alone.’

‘You know what I think?’ Jude says. ‘I think you’re worried the world might end before you’ve had a chance to find the Fallen and redeem yourself.’

‘That is not my concern alone. Finding the Fallen is your only road to redemption too.’

‘Says who—you? What if you’re wrong, Nathaniel? What if that was never what the Garrison intended for us?’

‘Then we will all be dragged to hell together.’

The mood in the chapterhouse shifts to something darker, more apprehensive. The silence stretches out for five seconds, six—

‘You’re going anyway, aren’t you?’ Taya says.

Jude nods. ‘Me, Gaby and Rafa.’

‘And me,’ Jones says, stepping forward.

‘Count me in.’ It’s Seth. He gestures to the Outcasts around him. ‘We’re all in.’ They’re as intent as I’ve seen them. It could be about making a point to Nathaniel—it wouldn’t be the first time—or because they know it’s the right thing to do. Either way, I’m grateful they’ve got our backs.

‘And us.’ Ez is by the main doors. Zak has one arm around her, the other braced against the wall. His head is bandaged and his shoulder strapped.

‘Just give me a couple more shifts before I have to swing a sword,’ he says.

Taya clucks her tongue. ‘You idiots. You’re going to get yourselves killed.’

I turn back to her. ‘You going to stop us?’

‘No,
Gaby
, I’m coming with you.’

I blink.

‘You heard me.’

I swallow. I do
not
have a lump in my throat over Taya.

‘Not without me,’ Malachi says.

‘Or me.’ Micah.

Warmth spreads through me, driving away the chill of Nathaniel’s stare. I can’t help it, I look around for Daisy. She’s to my left, eyes fixed on her boots. Straight red hair falls in a curtain around her face so I can’t see her expression, but her hands are tight fists. She’s struggling.

Nathaniel doesn’t say anything. He’s waiting, as if he doesn’t quite believe we’ll do this—or at least that Taya, Malachi and Micah will disobey him.

‘Let’s go,’ Rafa says.

My eyes drift to Daniel. There’s something in his eyes, a shift. He’s not entirely on board with Nathaniel’s decision-making here. I hesitate a few seconds longer, give him time to act on whatever he’s feeling. Or for Daisy to join us. I hear the others moving towards the main doors, wait another heartbeat. But Daniel and Daisy stay silent.

I turn away, unsurprised. And a little disappointed.

UNEXPLODED INCENDIARY DEVICES

We gather outside in the cold. The defiant: me, Rafa and Jude. The Outcasts. And Taya, Micah and Malachi. There are twenty-six of us now.

‘You know, life was a lot simpler when you guys were just arseholes,’ Malachi says.

Rafa gives a short laugh. ‘Likewise.’

‘When do we leave?’

‘Ten minutes. Meet you in the library. We’ll go get the Pan Beach boys from the infirmary.’

‘What’s our arrival point?’

Rafa looks to me and I check my watch.

‘It’s about eight a.m. at home, so we’ll need to be careful how we introduce this crowd to the town. Let’s divide everyone between your place and mine and go from there.’

‘You want me to call Mya?’ Jones asks.

Jude shakes his head, glances at Rafa. ‘Nah, mate, I’ll do it when we get there.’

The Butlers and their crew fall over themselves to get organised when we tell them what’s going on.

‘We’ll get the gear from camp,’ Mick says, struggling to put on a jumper. ‘We can set up positions around the beach and blow the fuck out of them.’

There’s no way those boys are getting their arsenal anywhere near the esplanade, but we can argue tactics when we’re home.

‘I can’t believe the cocksuckers got Russian RPG-7s.’

I don’t know how Mick knows this and I don’t ask.

‘They put the fire out yet?’ Rusty asks. ‘Smells like it.’

‘Not sure,’ I say. ‘But the kitchen’s stopped exploding.’

Simon is dressed in jeans and a too-big woollen jumper. He’s on the floor tying his bootlaces. The stench is gone so I’m assuming the poultice has too. ‘We have to warn the town,’ he says.

‘I know. We’ll figure it out.’

‘Do you want me to take you home before I go to Gabe’s place?’ Taya is standing over him, watching him finish with his shoes. Is Simon one of the reasons she’s willing to defend Pan Beach? I did find them almost-flirting on the couch that time.

‘That’d be good. Your room’s still there if you want it, too.’ Simon’s eyes flit to her bandaged hand. ‘Are you sure you’re up for another round?’

‘This?’ Taya holds it up. ‘It’s a finger, Simon, not a leg. Don’t worry your pretty head about it.’ She smiles, very un-Taya-like. And despite the fact his town is about to be the centre of a showdown between Rephaim and demons, Simon blushes. Rafa sees it and smirks, but resists the urge to give him a hard time.

It’s a parade of the walking wounded as we lead the boys from Pan Beach to the library. Mick with his half-beard and his arm still strapped to his chest, sucking down a cigarette he bummed from Brother Benigno; Rusty, nursing his chest wound with one hand, carrying Mick’s rocket launcher with the other; Woosha, missing a thumb, his dislocated shoulder strapped; Joffa, still in bad shape with his burns, broken nose and laceration to his thigh, supported either side by the blond mullet and the big guy with tribal tatts. The poultice may have helped with Simon’s bruised ribs, but he still walks gingerly.

This is the guys’ first trip outside the infirmary but there’s not much to see. The wind is still too thick with smoke and ash.

‘Someone has to break the news about the rest of the boys,’ Rusty says.

‘Save the town first,’ Mick says and draws the cigarette down to the filter. The lit end flares, momentarily lights up his face. He blows the smoke out the side of his mouth. ‘Shitty news second.’

Everyone’s waiting for us in the library. The place still smells of mustiness and dried paper, now with a top-note of smoke.

‘Fuck me, there’s a lot of you bastards,’ Mick mutters.

‘This isn’t a lot,’ Rafa says, ‘but it’s all we’ve got.’

Ez and Zak meet us in the middle of the room. Zak doesn’t need help to stand anymore but they still have their arms around each other. It makes me happy in a way I wouldn’t have thought possible a week ago. I glance at Jude and then Rafa. Feel strong, like I belong wherever they are.

‘We ready?’ Rafa flattens two pieces of paper on the nearest desk and we gather around. Each page has coordinates and a mud map of Pan Beach: one to the shack where he’s been staying and one to the bungalow Maggie and I share. Rafa describes the lie of the land and layout of each and then we work out who’s going where. Jude, Simon and the Butler crew are coming to the bungalow with me, Micah, Ez and Zak. Everyone else is going to Rafa’s place.

‘It’s tiny, so no bitching about cramped space,’ Rafa says. ‘It’s a place to stay out of sight until we work out a plan.’ He walks over to Jude and me. ‘Jude, you good?’

‘Yeah, mate.’ Jude tests the weight of his sword, looks from Rafa to me. He feels it too: there’s something
right
about the three of us standing here together, ready to face whatever’s coming our way. There’s a ripple of energy—nervous, impatient. Everyone’s ready to be gone.

My stomach drops and cold air stirs at my feet.

‘One last thing before you leave.’

Nathaniel is standing a few paces away. Daniel, Calista and Uri are with him, along with a dozen armed Rephaim. Daisy is among them, avoiding eye contact with our side of the room. Daniel is working hard to look impassive but he’s rattled. The tiny flare of his nostrils gives him away. Is he unsettled because he knows what Nathaniel’s going to say, or because he doesn’t?

‘Knock yourself out,’ Rafa says.

‘Holy shit, is that the angel?’ Rusty whispers it too loud.

Nathaniel’s attention settles on me. ‘Do your Outcasts know the truth about Mya?’

I take a moment, try not to react. Jude steps forward. ‘What truth would that be?’

‘That she is a conspirator with the humans who built the iron trap.’ The fallen angel’s gaze rakes over the Outcasts. ‘Mya is not here because Gabriella and Judah know the truth about her and she is ashamed to show her face. A truth they have chosen to keep from you.’

‘What’s he talking about?’ Jones asks Rafa.

‘The women who created the room in Iowa share the same human bloodline as Mya,’ Nathaniel says. ‘You think I did not know that, Gabriella?’

He’s baiting me. ‘That’s a stab in the dark.’

‘You forget that the Garrison led me to each of you.’

‘So?’

‘They led me to Iowa. To a babe I was told died in childbirth. I did not see a body and I never believed the story. That is why I brought Brother Roberto here, to retain a connection to the family.’ He pauses to let that bitter seed take root. ‘When Mya appeared twelve years ago, it was obvious she was that child. But I did not understand her role in creating the schism.’

‘You assumed Mya was that child because she was the only one you knew about but didn’t find. How do you explain Jason?’

‘It is true that when I realised this lost Rephaite was familiar with the Iowa family, I wondered if I had been wrong and he was indeed the missing child. But then it was Mya who took Virginia from here tonight, not him.’

‘And you think that was out of character for her?’

‘Gabriella, in the last fifteen minutes I have had the opportunity to speak further with Brother Stephen.’ He gives me a knowing smile and my insides turn to ice.

‘Did you hurt him?’

‘I did not need to. He was grateful to unburden himself.’ Nathaniel waits, lets the moment build. ‘He confessed that Mya is his kin.’

I focus on the books behind him, the faded black and navy spines, the flaking gold lettering. I sort through a storm of thoughts and find the most important: Brother Stephen didn’t tell Nathaniel that the Rephaim need to be unified before the Fallen can be released from wherever they’re trapped.

Or he told Nathaniel, and the fallen angel isn’t sharing.

‘Is that true?’ Jones asks.

‘We don’t know for sure,’ Ez says. ‘We haven’t heard her side of the story.’

The Outcasts whisper to each other, mutterings of confusion and disbelief.

Ez turns to address them. ‘She’s risked her life for us more times than I can recall. She’s my friend and I’m giving her a chance to explain before I turn my back on her.’

‘Taya, Malachi, Micah.’ Nathaniel’s voice is softer now, conciliatory. ‘Are you willing to trust your lives to Rephaim who have spent the past decade following a girl whose family wishes to destroy us? A girl who has lied to them about who she is and what she has done?’