Chapter 20
Tuesday Morning, January 11th
Louis awoke to the sounds of voices nearby. He recognized some of the voices instantly. They were the voices of his father, uncle and older siblings. The other voices took a moment more to identify, but then he remembered everything that had happened to him and his family before he had fallen asleep. The voices were from the people that had risked their lives to help protect his family during their flight from the demons. Flashes of everything that had happened to him and his family ran through his mind, including his confrontation with the leader of the demons, Tim Matheson. And then Louis remembered what he had done to defeat the demons and their leader, remembered how it had felt to hold such power. And when he thought of the feelings the power had caused, he felt a sense of loss.
He didn’t understand how something that he had been unaware of for his entire – albeit brief – life could cause such a feeling of absence now that it was no longer there. It was like he had grown an extra arm – an extra, amazing and powerful arm – and then someone had torn it from his body the minute its growth had completed. He wanted to grab ahold of the power again, but he remembered what his uncle had told him. The power was dangerous and could kill him. Luckily, he wasn’t even sure that he could access the power again, a fact that part of him considered to be a good thing. It was the part of him that screamed at him whenever he was about to make a bonehead decision about something. He usually managed to stifle that sometimes annoying side of himself, but this time he wondered if there was some wisdom behind the voice. If it was trying to keep him from getting killed, it most likely had his best interests at heart, and therefore he should listen to it at least some of the time.
Louis looked around at the strange room and realized that he was lying on an unfamiliar couch. He wondered why his family hadn’t brought him home and then the memory of his house burning flashed through his mind. The memory brought a fresh wave of loss as he thought of everything that had been lost with the house. Every memory of his family had been made while living in that house, including many of the things that reminded him of his mother. His memories of her were somewhat vague, since he had been very young when she died. But he did remember the way she had smiled at him, and the way she had sung him to sleep when he had woken up with nightmares. And he remembered the way she had smelled, like flowers and grass and the way the wind smelled when it would blow through the house in the spring. The fact that these were the strongest memories of her, and not the pictures or things that she had given him, somewhat lessened the loss he felt at the destruction of his family’s house. If these were the memories of his mother that were strongest in his mind, nothing and no one could take them from him.
He felt something tangled between his legs and looked down to see Billie sleeping on the couch with her legs entwined with his. Her mouth was open and her breathing was deep and even. He moved his legs from hers, being careful not to wake her. He had always felt very protective of his little sister, since she was the only one of his siblings younger than he was. He knew how difficult it must have been for Billie to go through everything she had while fleeing from the demons, and he wanted her to sleep as much as she could. Once he had freed himself, he sat up on the couch and tried to figure out where the voices were coming from.
He looked around him and saw a large living room that was tidy and comfortable. There was another large couch identical to the one he was on, across the coffee table which sat a few feet from his knees. The room didn’t look familiar at all, but then he remembered that he was at Mr. McCallister’s house, even though he didn’t remember seeing the room before. The room had windows on two sides of the room, through which Louis could see the gray light of daylight through the heavy snow falling outside. He looked in the direction in which he had heard the voices and saw a large opening that led to another room. The front door to the house was visible through the opening, and he guessed that the other room was the main living room that he had been in the night before. He looked again around the room he was in and saw a large fireplace behind him with a cheery fire burning within. The cozy feeling of the room surprised Louis. It reminded him of the family room at his own house, which wasn’t how he pictured the sometimes-gruff Mr. McCallister living. And then he remembered his father saying something about Mr. McCallister’s wife dying a few years before Louis had been born, and guessed that she had decorated the room.
Louis looked out one of the windows again and tried to guess what time it was. But the snow was falling so heavily that he could only tell that it was sometime during the day. The gray light of the sun served as a backdrop to the fat flakes that continued to fall and should have made the room feel cozier for the warmth it offered. Instead, it reminded him that this wasn’t his home – that he and his family were now homeless. He searched the room for a clock, and found one on the mantle. It was ten o’clock in the morning. He had no idea what time he had blacked out the night before, but he guessed that he had been asleep for some time. As he thought about it, he noticed that he felt remarkably refreshed, which he usually did when he got a good night’s sleep.
The voices from the other room got suddenly louder and he recognized Mr. McCallister’s voice, raised louder than the others.
“Harper, I know you don’t like the idea of us being trapped here,” he said persuasively. “And neither do I. But it’s just snowing too hard outside. Even if we took my SUV, there’s a good chance that we’d get stuck. The snow drifts are just too deep. No, we’ve got to stay here until the storm breaks. Then we can head into town and get some help.” Louis heard Mr. McCallister sigh loudly as he continued, “Hell, if I could get one of these damned phones to work, I could call us some help that could get us out of here. But that’s not an option either. We need to stay put.”
“Thank you for reminding us of your opinion, James,” Harper said sarcastically. “But this is not for you to decide. We must leave as soon as we can. And I’m not suggesting any of us head into town, even when the storm passes. That’s exactly what they’d expect us to do and they would be waiting for us if we did.”
Louis was surprised by the tone in his uncle’s voice. Mr. McCallister had done a great deal to help them and had risked his own life to save his family several times over. In spite of this, Uncle Harper had sounded downright rude to him. Louis had to admit that his uncle had always had a sarcastic side to him, but he didn’t think the teacher deserved such treatment. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
“Harper, please,” Jerry said soothingly. “We’re all in this together now, so we’ll make the decisions on what to do next together. I have to agree with James, though. Leaving in the middle of this storm isn’t a good idea. And if what both of you say about the protections around this house is true, then why shouldn’t we stay until the storm clears? And I’m sorry, but where on earth would you want to go besides into town?”
Louis crept quietly over to the opening and saw everyone sitting around a coffee table in the living room. If he hadn’t heard what was being discussed, he would have thought that it was some kind of holiday gathering of family and friends. There were several mugs sitting on the table, and a large tea kettle sitting on a tray next to a plate of sandwiches. Louis heard his stomach rumble and realized suddenly that he was starving.
Louis saw his uncle look down at his hands for a moment before answering, “There’s somewhere that we need to go…that we need to take whichever of the children is the one.”
“Harper, what are you talking about?” Jerry asked softly. “What are you not telling us?” There had been no suspicion in his voice. It had sounded like an earnest, but honest request. He and Larry had been picking up bits and pieces of what was going on, but no one had stopped to give them a complete explanation.
Harper looked up at his brother-in-law and there was hesitation in his eyes. “It’s something that I was hoping to av
oid.” he said. “At least, I was hoping we had more time and could figure out some way to prepare for it.”
Everyone around the table was silent as they waited for Harper to continue. He waited for what seemed like an eternity to those seated and waiting. Finally, he stood up and walked to the window to stare outside.
“Everything’s happening much more quickly than I had anticipated,” Harper said as he watched the snow falling outside. “The last time a Solas was born, we were able to keep him hidden until he had come of age. He was ready to assume his role as a beacon to Aes Sidhe and humanity alike. But we were betrayed before that could happen.” Harper sounded distant and somehow sad, as if he was recalling a painful memory from his past.
Harper turned around and faced the group again before continuing, “My point is that I was hoping to be able to arrange for more protection for the children before we had to take such a step. And up until yesterday, I believed we still had some time, even if it was only a little.” His voice gained a note of determination as he added, “But now I believe our time is up. If we wait any longer, that human we saw last night will take the children from us, and all hope will be lost.”
No one said anything in response. They still didn’t understand what he was trying to say. But there was one other person in the room who knew the prophecy as well as Harper did.
“That place is way too far from here, Harper,” James said knowingly. “There is no way that we can get there without flying, so we may as well stay here and wait the storm out.”
Harper’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at James and said, “There are more than one of the places that I speak of, James. While the one that I’m sure you’re familiar with is indeed too far to consider, there are others that only my people know about. One of them is nearby, and if I’m not mistaken, so is the gate that these demons are coming through.”
Louis looked around at Harper’s audience and saw the confusion on everyone’s faces. Mr. McCallister seemed to be the only one who understood what his uncle was talking about, but even he had seemed surprised by what had been said.
“How close is nearby?” James asked as he stared at Harper.
Harper stared back at James with an unreadable expression as he responded, “No more than a four-hour drive from here, in the middle of the Colorado Rockies.”
“How is that possible?” James asked suspiciously. “There’s no way that something like that could remain undiscovered for this long.”
“It is possible because it has been hidden by my people, as the other places were,” Harper answered.
“Will one of you tell the rest of us what the hell you’re talking about?” Larry asked with exasperation. “I feel like we’re watching a married couple argue with each other in a foreign language! It’s only entertaining for a minute before you really need to know what they’re saying to decide which one’s right and which one’s wrong!”
Jerry had been thinking the same thing that his partner had. But he also wondered how it was that James seemed to know what Harper was talking about. Something about that fact made Jerry wonder if James McCallister was someone he could trust. And then he thought of his neighbor standing in the midst of the demons that had been trying to reach his children. He had held his ground when no one would have blamed him for running in the other direction. Again, he had to choose between what his brain told him and what he believed in his heart. His heart told him that James was someone he should trust. And this time, he was going to listen to his heart.
James looked over at Larry and then at Jerry before he said, “This is not my secret to tell.”
James looked at Harper, who stared back at him enigmatically for a moment before looking at Jerry. “I’m sorry for sounding cryptic,” Harper said. “This is a long story and it’s very difficult to tell quickly.”
James’ mouth opened in obvious shock as he whispered, “You haven’t told him.”
“Told me what?” Jerry asked as he looked at his brother-in-law.
Harper looked back at him, and there was sympathy in his eyes as he answered, “You already know, brother. Arianna told you the truth about us…about our family before she died.”
Larry looked at Jerry with a frown of confusion. “What’s he talking about, Sid?” he asked.
Jerry thought again of his conversation with his wife the night before she had died. She had said many things that night, most of which he had dismissed as hallucinations and drug-induced ramblings. But the look on his brother-in-law’s face told him that he had been wrong all these years. He thought of all of the clues to the otherworldliness of his wife and her brother that he had chosen to ignore for so long. He thought of the strange wisdom in both of their eyes that seemed to contrast with the ageless looks of their faces, and knew that he had allowed himself to be blinded for so long.
Something brushed against his leg and he looked down to see Aidan staring up at him. Again, he was struck by the sense of familiarity that he got when he looked into the strange dog’s eyes. He felt a second pair of eyes on him, and looked up to see Harper still staring at him.
“You can’t be serious,” Jerry whispered, though he knew that Harper was. “I thought…I thought that she…”
“No, brother,” Harper said as he sat in front of Jerry and took his hand. “She spoke the truth…about all of it.”
Jerry’s memories returned to the night before his wife had died. After Cole had left the room, it had been his turn to speak with his wife alone. He walked into their bedroom, past the small sitting room and toward the bed where his wife lay. She was propped up against the headboard with several pillows behind her head and back. Arianna smiled at him as he walked up to the bed and sat on its side, and then took her hand and smiled back at her through eyes that were filling with tears. If anyone who didn’t know her had come into the room and seen her at that moment, they would never have guessed that she was sick. She still looked beautiful, with perfect white skin and thick black hair that fell past her shoulders. But Jerry could see the difference in her eyes. The normally dazzling blue orbs had dimmed as her health had faded. And Jerry could feel the difference when he held her hand.
He had always been able to sense the vitality within living things by touching them. He had discovered the strange ability as a child. He had been able to sense when his mother or other members of his family were about to catch a cold or other illness. The ability had frightened him, since he had known it to be unusual even then. Because of his fear, he had kept the knowledge of his unusual senses to himself, telling no one.
The first time he had ever taken his future wife’s hand in his, he had nearly fainted from the sense of life and energy that had flowed through her. And it had never changed. Arianna had never been sick as long as he had known her and the strength that he had felt on that first day had been undiminished throughout most of their marriage. But he had noticed a change in her vitality after Billie had been born.
Arianna’s pregnancy with Billie had been a difficult one. She had been sick nearly every day of it, where she hadn’t been sick a day while carrying any of the other children. She had been almost completely bedridden the entire time and when she had finally delivered Billie through an exceedingly difficult labor, it had taken her nearly a month to recover. But she had never fully recovered.
After she had told him the things from her heart, she began telling him a tale that he found impossible to believe, but he listened.
“Jerry, I’m not what you think I am,” Arianna said to him as she looked into his eyes.
Jerry noticed that she had said what not who, which he found odd. “What do you mean, love?” he asked her.
“Do you remember the night we met?” she asked with a smile.
“Of course I do,” Jerry answered with a smile.
He thought of the night that had been the object of many of his dreams – Arianna dancing in the forests of Virginia one nigh
t, and him stumbling upon her. It had been a magical evening, and for many years after, he had wondered if it had truly happened the way he had remembered it.
Arianna continued to look into his eyes as she asked, “And didn’t you find anything about that meeting unusual…anything about me unusual?”
“Well, of course it was unusual,” Jerry said with a laugh. “You were dancing in the forest in the middle of the night!”
“Is that all you saw?” Arianna asked.
Jerry thought of the way that she had danced that night, the impossible leaps and spins, the way her body had seemed to move in a way that could only be described as superhuman. And he thought of the way the fireflies had followed her, as if in accompaniment to her dance. It was why he had wondered if his memories of that night were true, and not influenced by the way his heart had been stolen that night by Arianna.
He thought carefully before he answered, “I saw…at least, I think I saw some things that were a little unusual. But what does that have to do with anything?”
“Jerry, my love, you know what you saw wasn’t normal,” she told him. “In fact, it was what most people would call…magical, wouldn’t you?”
“I’m sorry, Arianna,” he told her. “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”
She continued to look in his eyes as she answered, “I think you do, love. I think a part of you has suspected all along. And you know now what I’m trying to explain to you. I’m not like you. I’m not human.”
Jerry stared back at his wife, unsure what to say. His first thought was that her sickness had advanced to the point that she had become delirious. But when he looked into her eyes, he saw a remarkable clarity there.
“There’s more, I’m afraid,” she said quietly. “I’m much older than you think, much older than I look.”
Jerry suddenly realized as she said this that he had no idea how old his wife was. He had asked her once, when they had first began dating, and her answer had been, “Older than you and that’s all I’ll say.” He had assumed that she had guarded her true age like any woman did and hadn’t pressed her.
Jerry smiled as he said, “You’ve picked now to tell me that you robbed the cradle with me?”
Arianna laughed lightly as she answered, “More than you know.” She watched him for a moment in silence before adding, “Jerry, I’m nearly eight thousand years old.”
Jerry looked at his wife with a frown. Had she picked a more reasonable age, he might have believed that some of what she said was true. But now he knew that her mind had finally begun to fade as well.
Jerry chuckled and squeezed her hand as he said, “Well, then. I’m sorry I didn’t meet you earlier.” He hated seeing her like this, hated the thought that her mind had lost as much vitality as her body had.
Arianna was quiet for a moment before she said, “I know you don’t believe me now, Jerry. But in a few years…hopefully more than a few, some things will start to happen that will change your mind.”
Jerry smiled, but didn’t respond. He didn’t want to do anything to distress his wife, so he didn’t argue with her.
Arianna looked down at their joined hands again and said, “What I’m about to tell you is very important, Jerry.” She continued to stare down as she stroked the top of his hand with her thumb. “When those things happen that will make you believe what I’ve said to you, it will be a sign of trouble for you and the children.”
Jerry’s instincts were immediately awakened by what she had said. He still believed that her mind wasn’t all there, but the mention of his children being in trouble made him pay close attention to what his wife said next.
“What do you mean, Arianna?” Jerry asked with concern. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No, my love,” Arianna answered. “Look, it’s too much to explain now, and for not telling you all of this sooner, I am very sorry. And I am especially sorry for leaving you to face these things without me.”
She looked up at him again, and Jerry was surprised to see fear on his wife’s face. “When these things begin to happen, you will need help. And you’ll need to know who you can trust for that help.”
“Arianna, I…” Jerry tried to interrupt.
“Shh, let me finish,” she said as she squeezed his hand. “Trust in the children, and trust in Larry. And there’s someone else…you must trust in Harper.”
“Arianna, I don’t even like Harper,” Jerry said with exasperation. He had only just met his brother-in-law a few days before, when he had shown up to visit his sister on her deathbed. The dislike between them had been instant, and mutual.
“I don’t like Harper right now either,” Arianna said with obvious displeasure. “But he will protect the children. And he has agreed to come and live here to help you with the children.”
“What!?” Jerry asked, sure that he had heard his wife incorrectly. “You’ve got to be kidding! Arianna, there is no way that that man is coming to live here!”
“That…man is my brother,” Arianna said. Her tone hardened when she added, “And he can protect the children. You must do this, Jerry.”
“Arianna, I can protect the children,” Jerry said with exasperation as he released her hand, stood up and walked over to the window. “I am a federal agent, remember? Anyway, why do the children even need protection?” He hated that they were spending one of their last nights with each other arguing over something as stupid as her brother.
“You are a wonderful husband, father and protector,” Arianna said as tears filled her eyes.
Jerry heard the catch in her voice and turned around to look at her.
She looked at her husband as the tears began falling down her cheeks. “But you will need help with what’s coming,” she told him. “Harper will be able to help you. You can trust him.” She held her hand out to him and he moved back to sit next to her on the bed, taking her hand in his. “You must promise me that you will let him come and live here, Jerry. Please.”
At the time, he had hoped that Harper would find the idea as repulsive as he had, so he had agreed. “I promise,” he told his wife.
Arianna was quiet again as she looked out the window. Just as Jerry was about to ask her if she was alright, she spoke again.
“I’ve been protecting others for my entire life, and now when I’m needed most, I won’t be here,” she said softly. “And I am so sorry for that, my love.”
Jerry had no idea what she meant and couldn’t say anything. He was tired of this discussion with his wife. It was clearly upsetting her and it hurt him to see her in such a state.
“Arianna, please,” he said to her. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“There’s just one more thing, love,” Arianna told him as she squeezed her husband’s hand. “There are others nearby who you can trust to help you when these…things start happening. They have promised me that they will come to your aid. One of those people is James McCallister. Trust in him. There are two others, also. You already know them both…”
Jerry’s attention was pulled suddenly from his memories and back to the living room in James McCallister’s house.
“Okay, now I feel like I’m the only one in the room who doesn’t know what’s going on,” Larry said as he looked at Jerry.
Jerry told the group what his wife had told him so many years before, which was a shorter version of what most of them had heard from Harper the night before. He left out the last part of what Arianna had told him, but looked at his neighbor with a new level of understanding. James was the only one who hadn’t heard Harper’s story of his people, but again he didn’t seem surprised, further validating what Arianna had told Jerry that night about their neighbor.
Larry looked at Jerry in complete shock for a moment, and then looked at Harper with the same expression. “How old are you?” he asked, his eyes wide with wonder.
“That’s not important, Larry,” Harper said with a slig
ht smile. He knew how difficult it could be for humans to accept the concept of immortality. But as he looked around the room, he could see that all of them wanted to know. He thought of everything they had been through and knew that he owed them the truth. “Very well,” he said finally. “I don’t remember my exact age, as we do not count our years as humans do. I will tell you that I had been alive for several centuries when the Rome was first founded.”
Larry quickly did the math in his head, and he knew the others did too. Finally, he snorted and said to Harper, “So, you’ve been alive for more than three thousand years and you still haven’t learned how not to be an ass to everyone? Slow learner, huh?”
There was a chorus of chuckles from the group, including Harper. “Yes, Larry,” Harper said. “But you’ve done wonders in the few short years I’ve known you in improving my social skills. And for that, I am eternally in your gratitude,” Harper said sarcastically, but with a smile and a slight nod.
The moment of levity had managed to break most of the tension in the room, which was something that Larry excelled at. It had even managed to take Jerry’s mind away from trying to accept some shocking truths about his wife, and the fact that he hadn’t really known who she was. But Larry’s off-color comment had reminded him that none of that mattered. What he knew about his wife was what truly mattered. She had been a loving and caring wife and the mother of his children.
“I might have missed it, but I don’t think you explained where you want to take the children and why,” Jason said to Harper as he pushed his glasses up his nose.
Tina slipped her arm through Jason’s and leaned into him as she added, “So far, I have to agree with James, Harper. I think leaving the safety of this house before the storm clears should be a last resort.”
“That’s just the thing,” Harper said as he sat back down. “We are not safe here.”
“But, we killed the leader of the demons and wiped out the ones that were here!” Jason said emphatically. “That must have bought us some time, right?”
“Tim Matheson is not dead, and the demons that were destroyed will be replaced,” Harper said as he leaned back in his chair in what almost looked like exhaustion and looked at them. “More will come.”
“How many more?” Dinah asked. She still looked a little pale, but seemed to have recovered most of her strength. Harper was grateful that the physical strength and healing ability of his people had been passed on to his sister’s children.
“There is no limit to the number of demons that can be brought through a gate,” Harper answered. “However, it is difficult to bring the demons through, and it takes time.”
“Is there any way to stop them from coming through?” Cole asked before sipping on his mug of cocoa.
Harper shook his head as he answered, “Not unless we destroy the gate they’re coming through and the one who is pulling them through.”
“All the more reason for us to wait until we can get help,” James said emphatically. “It’s too much of a gamble for us to try this on our own.” He was adamant that they wait the storm out, remembering his promise to Arianna Ambrose. He worried about his ability to help protect the children if they left the safety of the house.
“Harper, why is it so important that we go to this place in the mountains?” Tina asked. She still agreed with James that staying at the house was their safest option, but felt bad for Harper. It seemed like everyone was against his plan and not really giving him an option to explain his reasons behind it. She hated when she thought someone was being picked on, and in this case he was the underdog.
Harper thought for a moment before responding, “The place in the mountains was built by my people a long time ago. There are several places like it throughout the world, though only one is known to humans. Each of these places was built at a gathering spot of the lines of power that surround this world. Humans would consider these places to be sacred and magical, and have actually worshipped at many of them, not knowing that the structures of our people were nearby.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, “The reason we must go there is that it is only at one of these places that the Solas can claim their power and become who they are destined to be. But there’s another reason we must go there. Only the Solas will be able to close the gate that the demons are using, if one exists there. And I am certain that one does.”
“Are you suggesting that we actually go looking for these creatures?” Jason asked incredulously. “And take the children right to the very ones who are trying to take them from us?”
“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting,” Harper answered in a neutral tone. “If we don’t do this, we will be running from them for the foreseeable future. At least, until they find us. And I assure you, they will find us.” His voice grew quiet and his gaze distant as he added, “They always find the Solas in the end.”
“We don’t even know which of the children is the Solas, Harper,” James said as he stood up. “How can we help the Solas claim their power if we don’t know which one it is? None of this makes sense!”
Harper glared at James briefly before answering, “I think we all know who the Solas is after what we saw last night. The amount of power that Louis channeled last night was extraordinary. It should have killed him instantly, but it didn’t. That’s as sure a sign as any that he is the Solas.”
No one responded to Harper’s assertion, not even James. They had all seen what Louis had done, and it left little doubt in each of their minds that what Harper said was true. Cole, Dinah and Vaughan all looked at each other in silence, though their thoughts were nearly identical. Each of them wished that they were the Solas, if only to spare their little brother from the even greater danger that he would now be in.
“What power will Louis claim if he is the Solas?” Jerry asked quietly. He thought of Harper’s pleading with Louis the night before to release the power that he had held, and wondered how claiming any kind of additional power didn’t put his youngest son in even greater danger. “And how do we know that it won’t kill him?”
Harper was quiet for a moment and looked somewhat guilty when he finally responded, “We don’t. As for the power that is claimed by the Solas, it is the third type of magic, the one that I didn’t speak about earlier.”
“Again, you’re leaving some of us behind, buddy,” Larry said with the barest hint of frustration.
Harper explained to Jerry, Larry and James what he had told the rest of the group the night before regarding the different types of magic. Again, James seemed unsurprised by anything that was said. Jerry wondered how much of what was happening was truly a surprise to his neighbor. He also started to wonder exactly what role Arianna had played in arranging for the help of James and the two others she had mentioned. Knowing his wife, he suspected that she had begun making arrangements to ensure the safety of her family the minute she realized she was dying.
“Okay, so what’s the third kind?” Larry asked. He was past the point of disbelieving the things that he heard and saw, no matter how unusual.
“The third kind of magic is the most powerful, but also the most dangerous,” Harper said as he looked around at each of them. “Its source is life itself. More specifically, its source is the life force of the living things around the user. It is exponentially more powerful than the other two kinds of magic, but to harness it, the user must pull the actual life force from living things. If too much of that power is pulled, the source from which it is being pulled will die.”
Everyone was silent again, each of them trying to process what he was saying.
“I’ve only seen this power used once,” Harper added quietly. “And it left a trail of death in its wake. It is a power that only the Solas can use, and from what we know, it is very difficult to control.”
“Then why on Earth would we want Louis to take a hold of it?” Jason asked with clear agitation. He felt especially protective of Louis, s
ince the boy was his student and he genuinely liked him. “Why can’t we just wait for him to…come of age as you said it?”
“Normally, I would agree with you,” Harper answered. “…with all of you, in fact. But this time things are happening so quickly, and the demons are behaving in a very unpredictable way. It’s almost as if they are frantic to get a hold of the Solas before he claims his power. It doesn’t make sense, since the prophecy is very clear that the Solas must claim their power to be of any use to them. This urgency on their part worries me. I have no idea what they will do next. I think the only reason they haven’t attacked again, is so that they can gather their strength. The strength of Louis’ attack must have surprised them and I’m sure has caused more than a little wariness on their part. But it won’t last. Eventually, they will come for him.”
He was quiet for a moment before he said, “This is really the only way that I can see for us to have a chance of saving Louis.”
“But it means that the rest of us, including the other children, will risk our lives to get him there,” Tina said quietly, and to no one in particular.
“Yes,” Harper answered softly. “And this is why I will not ask any of you to go. You have each risked your lives countless times in just the past twenty-four hours, but I cannot ask you to risk them further. I do ask that you stay with the rest of the children, though. They will need to be protected, too. Louis, his father and I will go alone.”
There was a chorus of shaken heads and negative responses. It was clear from everyone in the living room that none of them would allow themselves to be left behind.
“But it doesn’t change anything, Harper,” James said with only a little less frustration in his voice than before. “Leaving during the storm is just too dangerous.”
“Harper,” Jerry said quietly as he looked at his brother-in-law. “I know you’re trying to do what’s best for the children, but I agree with James. I just think it’s for the best that we wait until the storm clears before we leave to go anywhere.”
Harper looked at Jerry for a moment before nodding his head and answering, “Alright, brother. I don’t think it’s the right decision, and I think we’re taking a bigger risk than any of you realize. But I will obey your wishes.” He stood up and added, “I’m going to step outside for a moment.”
Harper walked to the front door and opened it. He hesitated for a moment with it open, as a blast of cold air flooded the living room. He seemed like he was about to say something else, but after a few seconds, he just sighed and walked out onto the porch and closed the door behind him. Cole thought that his uncle had looked defeated, which hurt him to see.
“He’ll be alright, son,” James said to Cole as he looked at the front door. “That man has a lot on his plate right now, and I reckon it’s more than he’s had in a long time. He just needs some time alone to figure things out.”
Cole nodded at his neighbor, but watched the door, thinking of everything his uncle had said. He wondered if they were doing the right thing by waiting, or if they were merely giving their enemy the time they needed to regroup. And then the demons would be impossible to stop.
Louis stepped back from the opening and leaned against the wall. His heart was beating so quickly and loudly in his ears that he was sure someone in the other room would be able to hear it. He thought of everything he had heard from his uncle, that he was the Solas from the story he had heard the night before. When he had first heard the story, he had felt disconnected in a way, since he was fairly certain that it was about one of his older siblings and not him. He had been worried, of course. But finding out that he was likely the object of the demons’ hunt put the story in a completely new perspective. He was terrified.
But a second emotion that raced through him was even more powerful than his fear, though it was a variation of it. He was afraid for his family and their friends. He had heard the way every single person in the other room had shot down Harper’s suggestion that they stay back when it was time to leave. They would all willingly risk their own lives to help him and his family. He didn’t like the thought of them doing that at all, though he couldn’t think of a way to stop them. He was just a little kid. What could he do to stop an adult from doing anything that they insisted on doing?
He felt something brush against his leg and looked down in surprise to see Aidan staring up at him. He reached down and quietly stroked the fur behind her ears, and she closed her eyes with pleasure. Louis thought of how she had leapt to Vaughan’s defense the night before and knew that the strange dog wouldn’t stay behind, either. She would go where the family went. He kneeled down and hugged her briefly and felt a tongue swipe the top of his cheek once. Her fur was soft against his face and comforted him, pushing away the thoughts of fear and concern that had filled his mind. He held her for a moment more before letting go.
He looked into her eyes and thought of how familiar her eyes seemed, though he couldn’t say why. As he looked at her, he realized suddenly how tired he was, and decided that there was nothing he could do about his problems that the adults wouldn’t figure out first. He walked back to the couch and curled up on the opposite side from Billie, who continued to be in a deep sleep. Within moments, his breathing became as deep and regular as his sister’s and he was fast asleep.
James watched Harper stand up and walk out onto the porch and regretted his tone during the debate on whether or not to leave the house. It was hard to think of one of the Aes Sidhe in human terms, especially considering the number of years they had lived. But they had emotions just like humans did, even if they were more complex due to their longer lives. And James had picked up on the conflict within Harper, had heard it in his voice and saw it in some of the subtle movements he made while speaking. He was at a loss as to what to do and didn’t like feeling that way. James could respect such feelings. He had had them himself many times over the course of his life. And his life had been a fraction of the length of Harper’s, which James imagined would only make him feel even more impotent than if his life had been shorter. When you’ve lived for several thousand years, you expect to be able to deal with just about anything.
Apparently, that’s not always the case, James thought.
James had also picked up on the suspicion in Harper’s voice, which would explain the combative reaction Harper had given to every one of James’ suggestions. James knew that he had to fix that. It was essential that Harper trust him, or his ability to help the Ambrose family would be limited. He hated having to deal with people’s emotions. That had been his wife’s area of expertise. She had been able to reassure people of just about anything. It had been her way, as it had been with Arianna Ambrose. The two women had been completely unalike physically, but had shared nearly identical personalities. Not for the first time since he had found Cole in the woods near his house, he missed both of them – his wife, and Jerry’s wife.
James stood up and walked over to the front door. He wondered if he was going to make the situation better or worse, but knew that he had to try something. He opened the door and stepped out into the cold.
Harper turned around at the sound of the door opening and made brief eye contact with James before looking back out at the snow. There had been open animosity in his eyes before he had turned, and James hadn’t missed it.
“Harper, we need to talk,” James said as he moved to stand next to Harper.
The snow had lightened somewhat, but continued to fall steadily. It was freezing outside, and James could see the breath from his nose steaming in the air. He looked over at Harper, who stood with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, wearing no more than a t-shirt.
“I have nothing more to say to you, James McCallister,” Harper said quietly while continuing to stare at the falling snow. “And I would think that you said everything you had to say while we were inside.”
“Have I wronged you in some way?” James asked as he lo
oked at Harper. “Where does this animosity come from?”
Harper looked over at James as he answered, “I don’t trust you, human. You have secrets that you are keeping from me…from all of us.”
“We all have secrets, Harper,” James answered. He was starting to feel less sympathy for the Aes Sidhe and more anger at his attitude toward him. “I would think you would understand that, having lived as long as you have. I will tell you this, though. I may have secrets, but there are none that I will keep from you if you ask.”
Harper’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, but he didn’t respond. He stared at James for a few moments more and then turned his head slowly to stare at the snow again.
“Bah,” James exhaled with frustration. “It’s too damned cold out here already. I’m not going to stand out here and have you give me the cold shoulder on top of it.”
James turned around and walked toward the door. But before he had taken two steps, a hand grabbed his upper arm. He turned around in shock, and was surprised to be inches from Harper’s face. Fierce blue eyes stared at him and froze him in place.
“Why do you have that tattoo behind your ear?” Harper asked in a whisper.
The tattoo was a symbol with which Harper was very familiar, since he had the same one behind his own ear. It was a stylized griffin, the symbol of protection for all life. But the tattoo itself meant something, especially where it was placed. And he wanted to know why James McCallister would have such a tattoo.
James looked at Harper’s perfect features, trying to find some flaw. But there was none. He had never been this close to one of the Aes Sidhe before, and he understood at that moment why they were able to become no more than a myth to humans, once they had chosen to remove themselves from humanity. He could feel the strength in Harper’s grip, and his dazzling beauty made him seem almost god-like. But they weren’t gods, and James knew that at that moment, Harper was afraid – afraid of anything that stood a chance of bringing harm to his family.
“I have the tattoo for the same reason you do,” James answered quietly as he met Harper’s stare. He hadn’t seen the tattoo behind Harper’s ear, but knew it was there. “And the same reason your sister did,” he added.
“What do you know of my sister?” Harper said through clenched teeth.
His grip on James’ arm tightened to the point that it was painful. “I knew what she was, as I knew what you were when I saw you,” he answered. “We have sworn ourselves to the same purpose, Harper. I am Fairtheoiri, as you are…as Arianna was.”
“Do not mock me, human,” Harper said as his vise-like grip on James’ arm tightened a little more. “The Sentinels are no more. They ended with the death of the last Solas, when we failed to protect him. Unlike you, I was there when it happened. I saw it happen.”
James cried out softly in pain, and Harper’s eyes widened slightly in surprise before he relaxed his grip.
“I know,” James answered softly. “I saw the memories that were passed down through millennia and saw you there…you, Arianna and the others. It’s how I knew what you were the first time I saw you both.”
Harper released his grip on James’ arm, but his eyes still held James in place with their intensity. “We didn’t end with the death of the last Solas,” James said. “We continued, as the Aes Sidhe sentinels did, in secret.”
“That’s not possible,” Harper answered with confusion. “How could you have continued without the Aes Sidhe knowing?”
“Some of the Aes Sidhe knew, but agreed to keep our secret,” James answered. “We were persecuted by the rest of mankind, just as you were, so we had no choice but to go into hiding…to wait for the next Solas.”
Harper stared back at James, but said nothing. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was as if a two-thousand year old ghost from his past had appeared in front of him.
“And then nearly twenty years ago, we learned that there had been a pairing of human and Aes Sidhe again,” James continued. “We reached out to the Aes Sidhe to offer our assistance in protecting the Solas that would come in to the world, and that is when things went terribly wrong. We were betrayed, as your people were. We were hunted by the demons, as your people were, and we had no choice. We broke off all contact to protect ourselves. Some of us went into hiding to protect our families.”
“And that is why you’re helping us?” Harper asked quietly. “Because of a vow you made to protect something you had no first-hand knowledge of…something you had never even seen?” He was still suspicious of James’ motives.
“I made two vows to protect your family,” James said with a serious voice. “One I made when I was young. It was made to a group with the same purpose – to save the world from darkness. It was a vow that I made out of youthful pride. But the second vow was far more important. It was a vow that I made with my heart, and to an amazing woman who needed my help. I promised your sister that I would protect her family, and I will give my life to honor that promise.”
James looked at Harper in silence for a moment before turning and walking back into the house. As the door closed behind him, Harper tried to digest everything that James had said. It appeared that his sister had taken additional steps to safeguard her family beyond asking her younger brother for help.
He wasn’t sure if he completely believed everything that James had said, but he had seen the conviction in his neighbor’s eyes as he had spoken of his vows. He had spoken sincerely at that moment; of that, Harper had no doubt. He believed that James would give his life to protect any of the children. But ultimately, the safety of the children was his responsibility, and it sometimes meant making difficult decisions. He knew that waiting until the storm passed to leave the house was a mistake. It meant they were trapped there, and Harper didn’t like being trapped.
He stared at the flakes of snow that drifted gently to the ground. Even his acute vision could not see more than a few hundred yards in the near-whiteout conditions. And not being able to see what waited for him and his family beyond that shifting ivory curtain terrified him.