Gemini (9 page)

“So a thousand years passed, and evil began to take hold on earth, corrupting human souls. Someone needed to step in. So after serving their penance, Adam and Eve were pardoned and granted immortality.”

“Why? Weren’t they accused of bringing badness to the world and all that? Why would they be granted immortality if human mortality was their fault?”

“Irony?” He laughed. “Sorry. Anyway, the thing was, the world was a disaster. Mom said demons and Fallen Angels were causing total chaos. Something had to be done to stop them, so Adam and Eve stepped up. As Eternal parents of humanity, they felt it was their duty. So instead of dying and going to the Eternal realm, Mom called it Aravot, they volunteered to stick it out on earth and protect their family.”

“Demons. And Fallen Angels.”
Was he serious?

“Yeah. Mom said more were actually Fallen Angels and some were human turned demon through deals with Fallen. I guess there’s a lot of ways to become demons.”

“Like Steve,” Phoebe said.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Steve was clearly a demon. Sophie accidently blurted that out one day, but whenever I asked for details, she would change the subject. It kind of ticked me off that Remie knew so much, and I knew nothing.

Five minutes in, and my life had turned into an episode of
Supernatural
.

"So Adam and Eve became immortal. Then what?"

"Remember the Trees?” Remie asked. “There were two. The Tree of Wisdom and the Tree of Souls?"

"Um, no?" I had to admit, I was a little rusty on my religion trivia. It was never really part of our rituals growing up.

"The Tree of Souls has a limited number. And when the Tree is empty, that's it. Humans are born without them—they're evil, so there are only two choices: End it all or allow evil souls to be born, to eventually outnumber humans and take over the world. So when the Tree was running low on souls the first time, Adam and Eve were told that was it. The end of humanity.”

“Well obviously,
that
didn’t happen,” I interjected.

“No, because Eve made a sacrifice." Phoebe sat up, pulled away from Remie, and stared.

I eyed her curiously then returned my attention to Remie.

"When the Tree was empty, the Council informed her the end of humanity was coming,” Remie said. “Eve was upset because basically, she's the Eternal Mother, or as they call her, Chayah.”

Oh crap.
The temperature in the room spiked a few degrees.

“She pleaded to find a way to refill the Tree. She was denied, at first, so she offered her own soul in exchange. To replenish the Tree. Fill it with souls."

"As in die? Wow, that's…” My stomach buzzed with nerves. “Epic."

I peered down at my ring. My heart sped up, and sweat pooled on my forehead.

"I know, right?" Phoebe was way more excited than she should be given the circumstances.

"So, she sacrificed her soul?" I swiped at my damp forehead. “Did she… die?"

"Mom said Adam was heartbroken, knowing he would lose his love forever. He tried to reason with Eve, but she remained strong to her convictions. She refused to let the Tree die and humanity die with it. So she chose to die instead, and give up Adam in the process.”

Phoebe sat up. “He loved her so much, Zoe. He couldn’t bear to consider losing her, but Eve knew that her sacrifice could save humanity. She was so selfless. It’s inspiring.”

"Maybe, but I understand how Adam felt, too." Becoming Genesis might mean I’d have to give Phoebe up. I couldn’t lose my best friend. "Seems kind of selfish of Eve. What about Adam? He needed her."

"Selfish?" Phoebe hopped to her feet. "How is sacrificing her soul for all of humanity selfish?"

"I don’t know. I just feel bad for Adam." I stared at my hands and twisted the ring on my finger. “He loved her, and she chose to leave him anyway.”

Phoebe sat back down on the couch, folded her arms across her chest and gave me a glare of death.

Remie pulled her into his lap. "Apparently, Adam agreed with you. He pleaded with the Angels Michael and Gabrielle, to find an alternative.”

Phoebe relaxed into Remie. “It’s the original love story. So romantic.”

“Sounds more like a Shakespearian tragedy,” I mumbled under my breath.

Remie glared, but continued.

"So because of this, a compromise was struck. The Gemini Doctrine. When the Tree is near empty, like every thousand years, Eve delivers a child and gives her soul to that child."

"So, Eve gives birth to—herself?”

"When the baby’s born, her soul is transferred from Eve to the baby,” he said. “She gives birth to an Eternal—the Firstborn Daughter."

"Wait, what? No. You don’t think…” I swallowed. “So, you think I’m Eve’s daughter?”

Remie shook his head. “Not her daughter.”

I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. I could hear my heart thumping in my head, felt my heart pounding in my chest. “I think I’m gonna throw up.”

"That’s not all, there's more," Remie said.

“Of course there is.” I blew out a hard breath.

"After the baby’s born, she’s sent to earth. When she turns twenty-one, Adam comes to find her. If the Firstborn Daughter decides to accept his love, they Converge.”

“Okay, stop. So Eve has a kid with Adam, then Adam falls in love with his kid? That’s just wrong.”

“It’s not his daughter by blood.” Remie scoffed. “They’re not human, Zoe. Sure, she has a body, but it’s only a physical manifestation of her soul, it’s not like a human’s. Think more sci-fi. Her soul needs a host. Eve’s body serves as that host to carry the new body until her soul is ready to be reborn.”

“Okay.” My temples started to throb.

I was Eve, incarnate?
What. The Hell.

“Anyway. On her twenty-second birthday, the Tree is officially refilled as long as their souls Converge. Adam and Eve return to Aravot and rule another thousand years. Until the Tree is empty. Again.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and my temples pounded like a drum. "What?"

"Yeah.”

"So you’re saying I keep doing this. Like over and over? Does it ever end?”

"I don't know.” He shook his head, lips pressed together. “I'm thinking not."

“How do you know all this? And why didn’t Sophie tell me any of it?”

“My mom. We all heard the Genesis stories when we were kids. I just didn’t realize the Firstborn Daughter was you until today, when Cade’s voice spoke in my head.”

“What?” I leaned up.

“Um, yeah. It was strange, like he was talking out loud, but he wasn’t.”

“This whole thing is crazy. It has to be a mistake.”

“I know how it sounds, believe me. But it makes sense. Your mark, which isn’t exactly like ours. His voice in my head. How else could he do that?” Remie sighed. “I had no idea when this was going to happen either, so don’t be upset that I never said anything before now. Mom just said keep my eyes open. That a girl with a birthmark similar to mine would come into my life, and she would need me. I mean, I always suspected it was you, but today, I knew for sure.”

“Did you know any of this, Rainah?” I stared at her, and then turned to Micah. “What about you?”

“I never heard any of this before now.” Micah shrugged. “But I didn’t have parents like the wonder twins here. I was like you. Unwanted.”

“I didn’t know either,” Rainah said. “Though in my defense, I kind of ignored my mom. She always seemed kind of out there to me.”

“See?” I stood up. “So there’s a chance this could all be bullshit.” I stared at Remie.

“I don’t think so. Think about it. Your ring. Cade. Our birthmarks.”

“Why is he Cade, and not Adam? Why am I Zoe?”

“That, I don’t know. Ask him.”

“Ha. Right.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “He won’t tell me a damn thing.”

Okay, now I’d had enough. I paced the front room and laced my fingers behind my neck.

"So this guy. Cade." I dropped my arms and started talking with my hands. “A man I, as in Zoe, not Eve. A man that I don’t even know expects me to give up my dreams? To keep dying, sacrificing everything over and over, never having a real life. For him?"

Remie stood and faced me. "Mom said you have a choice. A human life, or Cade’s love.”

"And if I don't? Then what?”

Phoebe jumped to her feet and stormed over, nearly shoving Remie out of the way so she could get in my face.

"If you don’t what? Choose Cade? Your soul mate? How about the future of the human race?” Her voice became heated. “Have you not heard anything Remie’s said? This isn’t just about you. It’s about us.” She gestured around the room. “It’s about them.” She pointed out the sliding glass door toward the balcony. “This is so much bigger than you, but you would choose yourself over that? How could you be so selfish?” She gripped her hips and narrowed her eyes. Disdain spat from her voice. “Who are you?”

She shamed me good.

My shoulders slumped, and I backed up then sat in my chair.

Staring at my hand, I twirled the Ring of Chayah around my left ring finger, where Sophie said it belonged. A ring I now understood to be a wedding ring.

Eve’s wedding ring.

Mine.

"I don't know." I felt defeated. Nerves swirled in my belly, and not the good kind.

"Yeah, well neither do I.” Phoebe shook her head and stalked out of the room.

"It's okay. You know how she is," Remie said.

“I don’t mean to be selfish. This is just overwhelming. I seriously need a minute to digest it all. I mean, Eve gave up her soul so everyone would have a life. Why is she the only one who doesn’t get one? Just seems like a lot to expect from someone.”

"Of course it's a lot to ask." Remie sighed. "And I assume you've probably had this debate with your soul many times before."

"So, what if I decide not to become immortal? What would happen if I didn’t choose Cade? I’m not saying that’s going to happen, but what if?"

“Remember the first time Eve gave up her soul? And why? Demons. Fallen Angels. Hell on earth.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Although I can’t say for sure, I assume it’s Cade, or for lack of a better word, Revelations.”

“That can’t be true.”

He scoffed. "Whelp, then I guess you'll just have to make your decision and see what happens.” He nearly barked at me. “If you’re really willing to risk the fate of all humanity on a
what if
.”

Great. Now he was ticked at me, too.

“Micah?”

“Hey, my childhood sucked, too, but I’m not ready to roll over and play dead just yet. Just so you know.” He turned and opened the front door then left.

Rainah stood and gripped her hips. “I’ll admit, I’m not big on the idea of giving up my college years either, but Remie has a point. And so does Phoebe. It seems like a no brainer to me. But, whatever. After all, it is your life. Right?” She shook her head and took off down the hallway to her room, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

It had become an all-out mutiny around here.
Perfect.

My chest tightened, and my headache had turned into a full-on migraine.

"I just have a hard time believing it’s really that serious. Wouldn’t Sophie have told me this? And Cade. He won’t tell me jack. Says I need to figure it out on my own. And if we weren't supposed to know, why did your mom tell you, but nobody told me?"

"She said the time may come, that the Firstborn Daughter would need more than just the prospect of love to,
push
her in the right direction. And she trusted me. Rainah had no interest in any of this, but I listened to every word. And once I recognized you as the Firstborn Daughter, knowing all you’ve been through with Steve and Eli, I had to tell you.

“Love may not be enough to save humanity this time.”

I fumbled with my mom’s—err, Eve's ring and contemplated how many lives I’d worn it.

"So if I choose Cade, you all become immortal.” I rubbed my temples, the pain nearly unbearable. “But what happens to Phoebe?"

Remie sighed. "I wish I knew."

"She’s not immortal. Will you have to choose between Genesis and being with her?”

"I don't know.” He scrubbed his five o’clock shadow. “I love Phoebe. I believe you're right. That she’s my Gemini, and I don’t want to lose her. But this is bigger than Phoebe and me. Bigger than all of us, and no call to greatness was ever easy. I guess we'll all have sacrifices to make."

Cade

"Hello, brother." Raz strolled out onto the terrace and sat in a chair beside me. “What’s troubling you this morning?”

I chuckled, knowing well he already knew.

"You worry about the demon presence. As do I.”

"What did you discover concerning our aspiring demon?"

"Not enough. His name is Brennan Tucker, a senior at Northwestern majoring in finance. Normal upbringing. I couldn't see a reason for any attachment to Zoe other than working at the lounge."

I stared out at the looming sunrise hanging over the harbor, my shoulders slumped, strength non-existent.

Even with sleep last night, my energy waned. It was something I was not used to. In Aravot, there was no need for sleep, but now that our Convergence had been initiated, my Eternal life force would continue to fade as the Winter Solstice grew near.

"So what do you suggest?” I asked. “Reinforcements?"

"Most likely. Let me keep watch. See what surfaces. The boy knows about you now, it's important we have someone on him. I’m considering recruiting the Newborns as well."

I sat straighter. "These Firstborns?"

“Yes.” He nodded.

"Is that wise? Or even permissible?"

We’d never enlisted the new Firstborns before a Convergence. They weren’t trained and hadn’t developed their full powers. I didn’t understand why he would choose them over the seasoned Firstborns.

"Yes, under certain conditions. The Council can launch a vote to push their transition through if necessary. We’ll do whatever it takes to ensure there are no distractions for you and Zoe. If a Convergence were ever to fail, it would only be by her choice and not circumstance. That, I swore when we began this journey, and I will do everything in my power to keep that promise."