Gods and Mortals: Fourteen Free Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Novels Featuring Thor, Loki, Greek Gods, Native American Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, & More (198 page)

Abruptly, Quaile’s eyes snapped wide. Her hands fluttered to her face nervously. Her eyes were still unfocused, searching for something. The other Elders watched her carefully. The man to her left, Dale Hatch, hovered on the edge of his chair. I wasn’t sure if this normally happened, but the tense hush that had fallen over the room made me think it wasn’t. Finally, Quaile’s hands quieted and fell back to her lap. Her eyes were stilled and focused once more. Sagging with weariness, Quaile took a deep, calming breath.

Dale touched her arm gently. “Quaile, are you all right?” he asked.

The concern in his voice made me wary. What just happened? Something didn’t seem right. Did she actually see something? I had never believed in most of the tales our tribe told, but the fear in her eyes had come from somewhere. Why would Quaile have any reason to fear our marriage?

“Yes, Dale, I am fine,” Quaile responded kindly, or as kindly as she ever spoke to anyone. Quaile turned her attention back to our small group. Her face clouded again, her teeth clamped down tightly. My stomach lurched. Unsure of why she would react this way, I met her eyes, trying to allay any fears she might have about me. It was apparent by the other council members’ faces that this was not the normal response to a marriage request.

“Miss Quaile,” I asked, bringing a hard look from Claire's father, “did you receive an answer?”

“Yes, Uriah, I did.” She looked down at her lap, hesitating again before looking back up at me. “No. You may not marry Claire.”

“
W
hat
?” I asked. Blood drained from my face as Claire’s hand tightened around mine. Her crushing grip squeezed my fingers painfully. “What do you mean I can’t marry Claire? I love her. We want to get married next year.”

“Yes,” Quaile answered tightly, “I can see that you both love each other very much, but I cannot allow you to marry her. She is not your Twin Soul.”

Claire gasped. Everyone in the chamber looked shocked by her announcement. I couldn’t believe it. Never had a couple who came before the council been denied the right to marry, never. Asking permission of the Elders was just a pointless tradition. It didn’t even matter. Most people didn’t even bother asking the Elders. They just got married somewhere else. At that moment, I sincerely wished we had been one of those. How could she deny us?

“What do you mean we aren’t Twin Souls?” Claire demanded. Her father yanked her behind him, but Claire tore her hand from his and stalked up to the table, stopping in front of Quaile. “You can see how much Uriah and I love each other. Who are you to tell us we can’t be married?” Her voice was sharp and serious. Claire’s aggressive streak had cooled a lot in the last year, but it popped back up now. Her father hissed at her to hold her tongue and step back. I don’t think she even heard him.

Pushing away the shock and searching my mind for reasons for her denial, I approached Quaile as well. “Do you think we’re not ready yet? Do you want us to wait a little longer before we get married, come back at the next meeting? Maybe that’s why your vision, or whatever it was, said we shouldn’t be married. I love Claire more than anything. You have to see that. I don’t really believe in Twin Souls, but if there was anyone out there meant only for me, it’s definitely Claire. You have to see that.”

“It is not because you are young, Uriah,” Quaile said. The pity in her voice was torturous. “I have known you all your life. You are a strong and wise young man. It is not a matter of waiting. My vision was very specific. Claire is not meant for you. I cannot allow you to marry her. I am so sorry, Uriah.”

I stepped back in disbelief. Not meant for me? Of course Claire and I were meant for each other. There was no one else I had ever wanted, or would ever want. There had to be something behind this. Without realizing my thoughts had turned into actions, I turned to glare at Thomas. Blood rushed to my face as I considered what he might have done. I raised my finger in accusation, but before a single word could escape my lips, Quaile spoke.

“This has nothing to do with Thomas, Uriah. He would be lucky to have you as his son.” Thomas snorted in response to that, but Quaile’s threatening glare silenced him at once.

“I don’t understand,” I said. Trying to calm my scattered mind, I took Claire’s hand again. Her frightened expression tore at me. I pulled her close to me, refusing to release my claim on her.

“I will be honest, Uriah. I do not understand all of this either,” Quaile said, “but that is my decision. You may not marry her.”

Dale Hatch suddenly spoke up. “Quaile, I mean no disrespect, but are you sure?”

I would have expected Quaile to reprimand him for questioning her, as she did everyone else, but she merely sighed. “Yes, Dale, I am sure.”

“It’s just that this has never happened before,” Dale said slowly. “Never in our history has the shaman denied a couple the right to marry on tribal lands. You were told specifically that Claire and Uriah should not be allowed to marry?”

“Yes,” Quaile said. “My vision was very clear on that point. On everything else…” Her voice faded as her thoughts turned back to her vision. I stared at her hard, hoping for more of an explanation. What else had she seen? Snapping back to the waiting crowd, Quaile continued. “They are both destined to meet their Twin Souls. They cannot marry.”

“Both?” Anise Yazzie asked. “It is rare enough for one person to meet their Twin Soul, we haven’t even seen a Twin Soul in three generations, but you believe both Claire and Uriah will meet their Twin Souls?”

“I believe nothing, Anise. I know it. The vision showed me that Claire will be the first to meet her Twin Soul, then Uriah. If these two are allowed to marry now, they will only be torn apart later,” Quaile said.

“But surely they must be allowed to choose,” Anise said.

“No,” Quaile said forcefully. “I know that not everyone believes in Twin Souls as strongly as I do, but they are very real. When these two young people meet their Twin Souls, the pull will be too strong for either of them to resist. They will abandon the other without a backward glance.”

“I would never abandon Claire. You know nothing about me, Quaile,” I said. My fists and teeth were clenched tightly, trying to hold in my anger. The other Elders stared at me, some with pity, some with confusion. Quaile ignored my comment entirely and turned to her fellow Elders.

“Think, Anise. If we let them marry and they do not meet their Twin Souls for a few years, think of what might happen during that time,” Quaile said. Anise cocked her head to the side. Her expression was uncomprehending. “Children, Anise. What if they have children, and are then ripped apart. The children will suffer as much as anyone. There is just too much to risk.”

Anise’s face turned down in a frown and I knew we were losing her support quickly. “Do you know when they will meet their Twin Souls?” she asked. “If it isn’t for many years, perhaps the joy they could have before then would be worth the pain of separation later.”

“I don’t know when it will happen,” Quaile admitted. “There are too many factors involved to predict with any exactness. It could be thirty years from now, or it could be tomorrow. All I know is that it will happen. That is definite.”

“I see,” Anise muttered. “Yes, I think the risk is too great.”

“What are you even talking about?” Claire demanded. “We should be the ones deciding whether the risk is too great or not. If Uriah and I want to get married then we will get married. We really don’t need your permission to do it either. Your decision won’t stop us.”

“This is not up for debate, Claire,” Thomas said. The satisfaction in his voice matched his smug expression. Claire’s fingers squeezed my hand tightly as her determination faltered.

“Claire, Uriah, I’m sorry, but I think we all agree with Quaile.” Dale Hatch’s quick glance around the table saw that his fellow Elders were nodding in agreement. “We will not allow you to be married.”

“This is for the best, Uriah,” Quaile said.

“I’m sorry, Miss Quaile,” I said forcefully, “but I will not accept your answer. I only came here today because my dad wanted me to. It was one of the last things he asked me to do before he died. Claire and I will be married. If we have to leave to do it, then so be it.” Claire sparked back to life. She threw her arms around me in defiance of the council and of her father. The smile on her face challenged everyone in the room to oppose us.

“Uriah, please don’t do this. You can go to Santa Fe and have no problem finding someone to marry you, but it will only bring you misery. You will both find your Twin Souls someday, and when you do, you will break each other’s hearts. You will abandon Claire, and she you. Neither of you will be able to stop yourselves.”

“I will never abandon Claire. Never.”

“You will have to. Claire will beg you to forget her, to leave her. Would you ask her to give up true happiness for you?” Quaile stared at me, accusing me.

“I wouldn’t have to ask her anything. She would never ask me to leave.” I held Quaile’s stare, refusing to back down. Finally, her eyes lowered with a weary sigh.

“You are making a very big mistake, Uriah.”

“I don’t care what you think,” I said. I knew my mother would be horrified at my behavior, but I could not stand there for another second listening to Quaile’s accusations. Still gripping Claire's hand, I turned and stalked out of the room. Claire was almost running to keep up with me.

“I would never leave you either, Uriah,” she said with surety.

I smiled down at her. “I know.” Slamming the doors open, I was glad to be free of the cloying chamber. The doors didn’t have time to slam back against the frame before Thomas shoved them back open.

“Get your hands off my daughter, Uriah. The Elders said no. You have no right to her now!” He grabbed for Claire’s hand, but she lithely pulled it away.

People going about their business in the town glanced in our direction. I stepped toward Thomas, pulling Claire behind me. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I did not want Claire facing down her father quite yet.

“Thomas, calm down. I need to think,” I said quickly. None of this made any sense. I had to figure out what to do before I lost control of my own life.

“There’s nothing to think about, Uriah. Let go of her, now.”

“No. I need to talk to my mom first,” I said. She would know what to do.

“Mine too,” Claire said. Her father glared at her. She stiffened and glared back. “Have you ever heard of the Elders denying anyone the right to marry on tribal lands?”

Her father hesitated, briefly. “It doesn’t matter. Quaile said no, and her word is final.”

“I’m going to go with Uriah to speak with Mrs. Crowe, and then we’ll come to the house and talk about this with Mom, too. She only wanted us to ask the Elders because it’s tradition. She’s not going to agree with you,” Claire argued. “Don’t try to stand in our way, Dad. Uriah won’t let you, and you know it!”

I had missed Claire’s intensity lately. I couldn’t believe she was actually using me as a threat, though. Would I really be able to change his mind again? Things were getting so bizarre and out of control that I didn’t know what I was capable of anymore.

“Fine,” Thomas growled, “you may go and see Uriah’s mother, but get home quickly after that. Don’t keep me waiting.” He stepped closer to me, his eyes tinged with fury. “If you even think of taking off with my daughter, Uriah, I will call the police and tell them you kidnapped her. I’m still her father and she’s still only seventeen.”

Claire rolled her eyes and turned away from him. I watched Thomas carefully. Claire’s father was not a strong man in morals or physical strength, but he did have significant influence with the local law enforcement. If I did run away with Claire, I might never be able to come back. I knew what that would mean for my mother, as did Thomas. I nodded, showing that I understood the implications, and turned away as well.

Claire pulled me down the street. Her ferocity diminished slowly as the events of the afternoon started to sink in. The walk through town was quiet at first. I kept glancing around me, wondering if the townspeople watching us already knew of the Elder’s decision. Word spread quickly in small towns, and despite the changes the casino caused, San Juan was still a small town.

During my early childhood, less than seven hundred people had lived in San Juan. As a child, every adult knew my name and the names of every child in the community. I knew most of the adults’ names as well. When the casino was built just outside of town eight years ago, it brought with it a population boom, swelling the town to nearly six thousand. Still much smaller than many other cities, the original San Juan residents were still adjusting to the sudden change.

The main street through town was one of the few areas that had been updated with the arrival of the casino. I walked down the road, taking little notice of the new store signs or the flashy window displays. Regardless of how much San Juan had changed, my life had just been changed even more.

Reaching the outer edge of San Juan, the summer crowds began to lessen and I was able to put the people and town out of my mind. Claire’s demeanor changed as well. Her fingers wound more tightly around my hand. Her face turned toward mine.

“Uriah,” she began softly, “will you really take me away from here if the Elders won’t change their minds?”

Thinking of my mom briefly, I answered, “Yes. I’ll find a way for us to be married.”

Claire’s beautiful smile spread across her face. “I don’t believe a word Quaile said, do you?”

In all honesty, I had never believed that Quaile possessed any power other than wisdom from old age, and even that I wasn’t sure about. Even now with her strange denial, I could not bring myself to believe she had seen any vision, but I couldn’t figure out why she would deny us either. “No. I don’t think Quaile can see the future. I just don’t understand why she’s doing this to us.”

“It was probably my dad,” Claire said flatly. “He would do just about anything to keep us apart.”

“Why does he hate me so much?” I asked.

“Because you make me happy and you’ve ruined his clever plans for my future,” Claire said. She pulled her body closer to mine. “If there’s more to it than that, I have no idea what it is.”

“He’s serious about calling the police if we leave, you know,” I said.

Claire’s face lost a little of its luster. Her chin dipped, but only for a second before popping back up with a brilliant grin. “I know he is, but he can’t keep us apart forever. I turn eighteen in less than three months. After that, we can do whatever we want.”

“Three more months isn’t so bad,” I said with a tempered smile. I would marry Claire right now if I could, but our mothers had been insistent that we wait until Claire graduated from high school. With everyone else against us, I wondered if we could really last until next summer.

“Let’s see what my mom says first,” I said. “I’m sure your mom will be fine with us getting married still, but my mom really believes in what Quaile says and sees.”

“Your mom knows us better than Quaile. She’ll side with us,” Claire said. Her surety was comforting, but I was still doubtful of what my mom would say.

The day had turned out so different from what I expected when I woke up this morning. First the attack, now this. My thoughts whirled, trying out plan after plan, a different one for every reaction my mom might have. Uncertainty lingered in my mind. How many nights had I gone to bed as a child listening to my mother tell me stories of Twin Souls, legendary warriors, and great shaman of our tribe? She would not pass off Quaile’s warning easily. I hoped Claire was right. My mom knew us well. She had to side with us. With everything my mom had been through lately, I couldn’t bear to abandon her.