Eternal Faith - Book 4 (The Ruby Ring Saga) (18 page)

Della
met my gaze as I held her shoulder. “Then I must go, not you. I’ve got to try
and climb out of here. It’s the only way.”

I
sucked in a painful breath and collapsed, pain shooting through my stomach like
a spreading bush fire.

G
asping
through the pain, I gripped Della’s hands. “You can’t go without me. You’re in
no shape to travel, and—”

“You
are not faring any better, Sarah.”

“There
has to be another way.”

Della
stumbled up, led me over to a rock, and helped me sit down. “I must go,” she
said sternly. She swayed and swung out her arm for balance, then leaned up
against a huge boulder. Her hair was slick with sweat, and droplets dripped
down her face. “We’re trapped in a gorge, and we’re both too weak to climb out.
Even so, I must try to scale the wall. I have to...for Victor’s baby.”

I
knew she would only fail in her weakened condition, and my stomach churned at
the thought. “Even if you weren’t hurt, it’s too dangerous without our strength
or the proper equipment. What if you—”

“I’m
our only hope,” she said. “I can do this.”

I
admired her brave, composed expression, but I knew it was a front; she was far
too weak to make the climb. I wanted to believe she’d make it, but the reality
was that she’d lost too much blood and was running a fever. Even if she somehow
managed to ascend the vertical wall, she’d have to hike through more intense
terrain. We didn’t even know where we were. At human speed, it could take her
days to find her way back, and I didn’t have that kind of time. My baby wasn’t
ready to come into the world yet, but the energies battling inside my body were
trying to force him out. Gasping deeply, I bit my lip hard. “I can feel the
unstable energy surging through me. I think I’m dying.” I softly touched my
stomach, and my heart ached. “I think we both are.”

“Don’t
say that,” she said, trying to sound brave but failing miserably.

Seeing
how terrified she was, I gripped her hands. “Listen, if we don’t make it,
Victor won’t take this lightly. I’m scared of how he’ll react, Della.”

She
nodded. “His heart will be broken.”

My
gaze narrowed as I sucked in a lungful of air. Cramps hit me full force. “That’s
where you will come in.”

She
gasped. “Me?”

“If
anything happens to me and the baby, Victor is going to need you, Della,” I
said emphatically. “The grief is going to destroy him, and he will need someone
to keep him on the straight and narrow, to make sure it doesn’t turn him back
into that monster again.”

Lowering
her gaze, she grasped my hand and gave it a nervous squeeze. “What are you
saying?”

“He’s
gonna need somebody to lean on,” I said.

Confusion
and shock overwhelmed her. “Are you suggesting that I take your place?”

“I
know it sounds a little Shakespearean, but—”

“What
does that mean?”

“Della,
all I ask is that you support him and comfort him through the grief. He’ll
never get over losing his son. It’s going to tear him apart. He’s going to need
you. He won’t make it through on his own, and loneliness will only fuel his
anger. I fear that if he’s left to his own devices after such a loss, he’ll
turn into something I think he could never come back from. Deep grief can be
overwhelming, even for the strongest of us. You know that. Give him strength
through this horrible heartache fate has bestowed.”

She
let out a long breath. “He’ll be wounded so deeply, an Immortal scar.”

“He’ll
need you to help him heal.”

A
shadow of confusion crossed her face. “Why are you saying this?”

I
smiled. “Because I love
him
that much.”

She
pondered my words before she finally spoke. “I truly see that now.”

“I
just want him to be happy. Of course it won’t be easy, but if I must die, I
want to take my last breath knowing that my Victor will live on, that he will
lead a long, happy life.”

She
swallowed hard. “You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

“We
got off on the wrong foot, but I hope you now consider me a friend.”

Della
looked at me with a tear in her eye, then seemed thoughtful for a moment. “I
just thought of something, but I’m not sure if it will work for you or not. It’s
only for an Immortal with a little extra energy, but there is quite a bit of
that swarming within you now.”

“Anything’s
worth a try.”

“William
showed me a trick when my energy was a little high and surging through me.
Follow me.” She led me to a huge, towering boulder and gently placed both my
hands on it. “Concentrate on the rock, and some of your excess energy will
transfer.”

I
did as I was told. Closing my eyes, I breathed deeply. The more I concentrated,
the more I could feel the electricity leaving my body—not all of it but enough
to take the edge off.

“It’s
working,” Della said, throwing me a meaningful look, then continued in a softer
tone, “This is a natural remedy that has worked wonders for me in the past.”

When
I opened my eyes, I saw a yellow glow around the rock, like an aura. I stepped
back, stunned. The boulder started to smolder, growing hotter by the minute.

Della’s
clothes were drenched in sweat, and I knew her fever was getting worse. She
wiped droplets of perspiration from her face. “Feeling better?”

“Some.
Thanks, Della.”

She
stared at the rock, then looked at me. “How much energy did you put into that
rock?”

The
rock felt hot to the touch and made a crackling sound, like frying bacon. “I
think it’s gonna blow!”

She
gripped my hand and pulled me away through the dense vegetation just as a loud
explosion echoed off the rock walls.

“I
demolished that boulder?”

Her
eyes widened. “The pills must’ve worn off by now. How can you live with all of
that energy flowing through you? No Immortal can handle that. And how does your
baby survive?”

“I’m
sure the medicine stays in my system for a few days.”

“You
know what this means?” she asked.

I
inclined my head. “What?”

“You
are carrying the prophesied child!”

“I’m
sure Alexander is. That’s why Ethano wants him so bad.”

“Perhaps
your son is the key to getting our world back from that fiend.”

“If
we both live long enough.”

She
squinted, as if trying to correct blurry vision. Fresh blood started to seep
from her shoulder wound. The woman was in no condition to go anywhere.

“You
need to rest,” I said. “You’re bleeding.”

“I
have to go find help,” she insisted, “but you should be stable for now.”

“Please
don’t go,” I begged her.

Her
brows knitted together as she looked at me. She was determined, and she wasn’t going
to give up. When I refused to give my blessing, she took matters into her
hands. “Just try not to have that baby yet,” she said. “He will not survive,
for he is not fully formed. He must be in the womb a full nine months to be
born a healthy Immortal with full abilities.”

Another
bout of pain tore through me, and I moaned.

“You
need my help. Victor would never forgive me if I just stood by and did nothing.”
She started to walk, then swayed and crashed to the ground.

Holding
my rotund stomach, I rushed over and felt for a pulse in her neck. It was
strong, but she was unconsciousness. Another cramp shot across my abdomen, and
I screamed. I opened my mouth, but my throat felt choked, and no words came
out.

Things
weren’t looking so great. We were stuck at the bottom of a gorge, and both of
us were too weak to climb out. Our Immortality couldn’t even help us.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t sit around and pout. I needed to take matters into my
own hands.
Maybe there’s something valuable in the tents
, I thought. I
was halfway there when pains rippled across my stomach.
No! I can’t lose
this baby, no matter what!

I
was forced to take a chance and light the smoke fire. I just hoped somebody saw
us before the Immortals did. Digging into my backpack, I pulled out the lighter
and kerosene. I scooped up dry grass and dead plants, then placed more tinder
on top of the pile of kindling. I lit the fire with the lighter and slowly blew
air on it to ignite it.  As it grew in intensity, I put a little kerosene on
it.

Making
this fire was the biggest gamble of my life.   

Suddenly,
everything was a blur. More cramps came, and I held my stomach and took a deep
breath, then carried on. More cramps flooded through me, and I knew early labor
had started. I needed Victor badly. He’d always helped me through my
tremendously painful headaches before Dr. Meyers had given me the medication. I
remembered Victor’s blue eyes and gleaming smile, his soft fingers brushing
over my arm, his sweet voice comforting me through the pain.

As
I thought of Victor, a vision came to me. Wailing, I rocked my precious dead baby
in my arms. His eyes were closed like he was sleeping, but his skin was mottled
and purple. I felt death’s sting; no pain is deeper than a loss of a child. I
watched myself as I stroked his little face. He didn’t even get a chance to
wear one of those little hats or be bundled in a warm blanket, and a shudder
tore through my body at the thought. No words could express how I was feeling
because Della wasn’t able to bring help in time.

My
eyes fluttered open. With the realization that I wasn’t able to save the tiny
love of my life, sadness, depression, and guilt tore through me. I collapsed to
my knees, tears blinding my vision. All I could feel was a deep, unrelenting
pain, like none I’d never felt before.

“No!”
I shouted. “No!” I stared up at the sky as if refusing to accept what fate had
dealt me. Grief tore through me. “I refuse to believe this!” I screamed. “I’m
going to stop this, one way or another! Do you hear me? I will not allow this
to happen!” I screamed at the universe. “You will not take my son!”

I
walked over to Della and sobbed as I touched her gently. “Della, I’m going to
lose the baby.” When she didn’t respond, I wept more. “We have to change the future
somehow, but I’m not sure what to do. Neither one of us can climb out of this
gorge, we’re both in bad shape, and we’ve got no communication. But we can’t
give up. There has to be another way.”

I
heard a choppy rumble in the distance, thanks to my Immortal ears. Listening
intently, I tried to identify the buzzing sound. “Helicopter,” I said. My eyes
widened, and I was stunned beyond belief as I picked up on a very faint
conversation between two men.

“This
is your last flight before surgery next week,” the man said. “Think you can
handle being away that long?”

The
other man chuckled. “No, but this hernia is killing me.”

Humans,
not Immortals hunting me down!
It also meant there were humans not too
far away. I knew if I could get their attention before the Immortals found me,
I just might have a chance.

The
whirl of blades echoed in my ear. I craned my neck and squinted to look out across
the horizon. I could see the low-flying black and white helicopter way off in
the distance.

A
soft groan carried from my right. “Sarah.”

I
turned to face her. “I hear a chopper. Stay put. I’m going to try and get their
attention.”

Her
face was solemn as sweat poured from it. “What if it’s the Immortals coming
back to dispose of the bodies?”

My
breath quickened. “I don’t think...I’m pretty sure it’s not them.”

“Don’t
do it, Sarah,” she begged. “Don’t let them see you. I can’t risk going back
there. It was a living nightmare.”

I
met her eyes briefly, then returned my focus to the sky. “I’ll be right back.”

“Please
put out that fire. If you don’t, they’ll schedule me for more surgery in the
morning. They always do.” She gripped my arm with her sweaty hand and pleaded
with her eyes. “Can’t you see? They’re coming back to burn the dead bodies, and
you’re leading them straight to us!”

I
bit my lip as an another wave of pain shot through me. “No, I
heard
the
pilots,” I said between gasps. “They’re human.”

She
stiffened. “Even still, they’re working for the Immortals!”

I
shook my head vehemently. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Are
you really willing to gamble our lives over a hunch?” she asked in a weak
voice.

My
mind raced. “Yes, because I saw a vision of my dead baby. In this stage of the
game, we have to take risks, Della.”

She
stared at me for a minute, silent and shocked, then finally said, “We can’t let
that happen, not to Victor’s child.”

Tears
welled up in my eyes. “My baby needs me, Della, and I have to do everything to
save him.”

“This
changes things. If we must, we will risk our lives to save your baby,” she
said, struggling to breathe.

After
her eyes fluttered closed, I continued to build the signal fire. I grabbed more
wood, sticks, and dry logs. I worked through the pain, until I had a roaring
fire. It suddenly dawned on me, though, that the signal fire would serve little
purpose unless a helicopter was right on top of us.
What if they don’t fly
this way?
I worried. We were stuck in a gorge, though, and I decided then
and there that I’d burn down the entire mountain if I had to.

Even
if it was the Immortals, I had no choice. I needed medical help. In my vision, I
saw that my baby would be born dead within the hour.
I’ll somehow work out a
deal with them. Maybe I can buy some time for Victor to find me.
None of my
options seemed feasible, though, and none of them guaranteed the safety of my
baby. According to the visions, Alexander would die either at the hands of the
Immortals or out in the wilderness. I drew in choked breaths and peered around
me as a sense of dread settled in the pit of my stomach.
No! I refuse to let
my son die. I’ll fight! I’ll fight for my child with everything I have, just
like any mother would.

I
took a step back. “Let’s take it up a notch.” I grabbed the kerosene and made a
trail to a pile of dry, dead rotting logs. The fire followed the path and ignited
the giant pile of vegetation. I squirted the remainder of the kerosene all over
the surrounding trees. Everything was dry, so the fire blazed up the towering
trees in a burst of flames.

As
soon as the fire was lit, I swayed, a wave of dizziness washing over me. Holding
my abdomen, I fell down next to Della as pain tore through me.

“What
are you doing?” Della whispered. “You’re burning the whole forest, with us in
it. Have you gone mad, Sarah?”

My
head ached with every single breath. I pulled myself up and sniffled,
determined not to give up. “I’m gonna get their attention one way or another.
It’s the only way to save Alexander’s life.” I winced, my head reeling. Doubling
over, I said, “I think we just took it to the next level.”

I
waited, every muscle in my body tense. The acrid smell of
burning timber and foliage and underbrush assaulted my nostrils, making me gag;
I struggled to keep from puking. The strong scent of pine left a bitter
taste in my mouth. The fire blazed high into the sky, sending tree after tree
toppling to the ground. The forest was illuminated by a sea of flames and
roared like a freight train. Trees crackled and snapped as they were
devoured by the inferno of impenetrable heat rising all around us. The dense smoke,
sizzling wood, and blinding heat made my heart race something fierce. I knew we
wouldn’t die, but things weren’t going to be easy anyway.

“If
this entire place goes up in flames, we’ll be burned alive,” Della said, her
voice trembling.

My
eyes burned from the black smoke. “Relax, Della. The wind is blowing up the
mountain. We’ll be fine,” I assured her, though I had no idea what we’d do if
the wind decided to shift.

Della
grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Come. We must find shelter.”

We
were both in horrible condition, but we somehow managed to stumble over to a
ledge. Biting my lip through more cramps, I crawled under it, and we waited.

“My
body’s healing a little. I can feel it,” she said through the crackling of flames.
Her voice came thin and raspy, as though she couldn’t quite control it. “I’m
not strong enough to hike, but I sure can—”

“Hail
a helicopter!” I finished. “I-I’m glad you feel a little better.” My fingers
gripped the edge of rock and squeezed. It felt as if someone was cutting into
my stomach with a hot knife. I wondered if I was having actual contractions or
if the baby was dying inside of me.

Della
took my hand and squeezed it lightly. Her skin was damp and hot as fire.

My
heartbeat sped up, and dread suddenly overwhelmed me. I wanted to stay positive,
but I wasn’t sure if our plan was going to work.
Why can’t a vision come
now, when I need it most?
I wondered, but I had no such luck. I clenched my
teeth as a sick feeling nestled in the pit of my stomach. I sucked in a deep
breath while the fire crackled through the branches.

Della
looked into my eyes—my terrified, desperate eyes—and touched my shoulder. “It’s
okay, Sarah. Your baby is not going to die.”

I
squeezed her hand as she reassured me. I was sure someone had to see the fire. I
listened to the crackling howl as the blinding, intense heat made it hard to
breathe. With my Immortal hearing, I listened for a plane or helicopter, but I
heard nothing above the snapping of flames and the breaking of branches and the
ground-shuddering roars.

We
held hands, hoping and praying someone—anyone other than the Immortals—would see
us. I was happy for any glimmer of hope I could get. More than anything, I just
wanted Victor to hold me in his strong arms. I pictured that and longed for
such a moment, such a sweet reunion. I imagined how beautiful our homecoming
would be, picturing every single detail from his smile to his comforting
embrace. I was so in love with the father of my baby, and it was that love that
helped me feel confident that somehow, we’d make it through our ordeal. I just
knew I’d be together with Victor again, and we’d be a real family with our
beautiful baby boy.  

Tears
welled up in Della’s eyes as she stared at the leaping flames. She kept a firm
grip on my hand. She was absolutely terrified of going back to that padded room
the Immortals had kept her in for months.

The
fire grew hotter, and I could feel the heat on my face. I gritted my teeth,
mentally slapping myself for my own stupidity. I wondered if it had been such a
smart idea to light the trees in the gorge where we were trapped. We had come
so close to escaping the nightmare, but now it looked as if it would never
end—at least not the way we’d hoped. “If we don’t get out of this gorge...” I started,
then paused, not willing to consider the possibility.

Had
both of us had our strength, we could have easily climbed out, but we were
stuck in a hole, a fate of our own making, and we were too weak and sick to do
anything about it. Not only was I dying of thirst, but the cramps weren’t
slowing down. I squeezed my eyes shut, wondering if things could possibly get
any worse.

The
smell of smoke drifted all around us. When the fire burned down to embers and
still no one had come, we both sat among the smoldering rubble, fearing the
worst.