Looking for Lucy Jo (20 page)

‘Honestly?’

She chuckled. ‘Of course.’

‘The pain is way less than it was.’

Emma grinned and nodded. I’ll come back again when you need me,’ she said as she very carefully placed the sheet back over him. ‘Try and sleep.’

He nodded and closed his eyes. As she walked away he whispered, ‘Thanks Emma. We’re lucky to have you.’

Tears immediately welled in her eyes and she couldn’t help but think of Eleanor.

News travelled fast, especially the bad kind, and when Emma and Lana heard, they both broke down and cried for hours. Imran hadn’t made it. He’d died in the helicopter, on the way to the hospital.

‘Oh God, Emma. Why, why is this happening to us?’ Lana wailed, in her sister’s arms, as they sat on her bed the following morning.

‘I don’t know… I wish I knew, sis. I wish we could turn back time and make everything as it should be.’ When she realised what she’d said, Emma chastised herself and cried even harder. ‘Oh Imran. I’m so sorry.’

‘Emma?’

‘What?’

‘We need to go see Nisha,’ Lana whispered.

‘Oh—Nisha! They were finally going out together. Oh God. Oh, poor Nisha. I don’t know how she’s going to take this.’

‘I’m sure Declan has probably already told her. Let’s get dressed and go see her.’

Emma nodded and grabbed her nearest clothes. Even Lana just put on a pair of sweatpants and jumper. She didn’t even both with her hair.

The infirmary was full of the sounds of sobbing as they pushed open the door. They went straight to Nisha’s bed. Leaning back against the pillows, she was smiling.

‘Nisha?’

‘Emma?’

‘Yes, it’s me and Lana. We came as soon as we heard. We’re so sorry. Are you… okay?’

‘I wasn’t okay. I felt it, when it happened… you know? I just knew. It was like my heart had been ripped out of my chest, but then… then…’

‘What? What happened?’ interrupted Lana.

‘Then he came to me. Imran came to me.’

‘Oh Nisha,’ Emma broke down again and rushed forward, sitting on the side of the bed. Nisha held out her hand until she found her friend’s.

‘He’s okay. He told me not to be sad. He said…’ She sniffed loudly. ‘He said he never felt like he really fitted in with the real world, like he wasn’t meant to be here for long. He knew that. He wanted me to know that he finally felt right, like he belonged, like he is where he should be now.’

Lana and Emma both let out loud gasps, as the rest of the patients listened to what Nisha was saying.

‘He asked me to tell you—all of you—not to mourn him. But to think of him and smile. Remember his silly baseball caps and cheesy jokes. Don’t cry for him. He doesn’t want you to. Even though I can’t help it,’ she stuttered, sniffing again. ‘I know he doesn’t want me to cry, but I will, just for a little while. I’ll never forget him.’

‘Will he come back, Nisha. Will he?’

Nisha smiled and shook her head. ‘Maybe someday. He said he was going to be with the other angels and that he would only return if we ever really needed him. But he didn’t think so, because he knows that we are all so strong and we will… sur-sur-survive this.’

‘Oh Nisha,’ Emma whispered. ‘We’ll be strong for him. We promise.’

‘Absolutely,’ said Liam from across the room.

‘We will,’ said Ava quietly, ‘for Imran.’

Everybody else in the room nodded and agreed.

‘We’ll celebrate him,’ said Declan from the door, roughly brushing a tear from his cheek.

‘Declan,’ Lana cried, rushing to him. ‘Have you any news?’

But he just slowly shook his head. ‘Nothing. Sorry, guys, still nothing.’

‘What are we going to do?’ she asked.

Declan put his hand on Lana’s shoulder and looked deep into her eyes, ‘We’re going to carry on, that’s what we’re going to do. That’s what Ellie—Eleanor—would want us to do.’

‘Yeah, I guess so,’ Lana said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

‘We’ll carry on, Declan. For Eleanor and for Imran,’ she choked and he pulled her into a hug.

oOo

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die,
I am the thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glint on snow,
When you awaken in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush,
Of quiet birds in circled flight,
I am bright stars that shine at night,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

Tempus Edax Rerum, for you Imran.

Declan finished by closing his notebook and looking around at the many Watchers and Mentors who had arrived to say farewell to Imran Chaudri, a boy they’d taken into their hearts even though he had been a dear friend for just a year.

He smiled at the sight. A sea of silly baseball caps surrounded him.

Nisha stood by his side, holding his arm, wearing a large pair of dark sunglasses. She smiled as he finished.

‘Imran would have liked that very much,’ her voice wobbled.

Declan patted her hand and led her away from the grave, off of the lush green grass and onto the nearby paving stones.

‘Be careful, the path is a little rickety here and there,’ he said.

‘It’s okay. As long as you keep hold of me, I’ll be fine.’

Lana and Emma stayed a few more minutes, Barber and Diarmuid by their sides, holding them and preventing them from falling into deeper despair.

Lana looked up at the sky and smiled, before turning her attention back to her boyfriend. ‘That really was something, you know?’

He nodded.

‘I think he would have liked it, don’t you, sis?’ Lana asked.

Emma smiled. ‘Definitely. There was a good crowd too. Considering he never felt like he fitted in, he was so well loved,’ she wept, her voice quivering under the strain of trying so hard not to cry. It was what Imran had wanted, after all.

The four of them looked around, preparing to follow the crowd, when someone in the distance with long wavy blonde hair caught their attention. As she slowly walked towards the group gathered for the funeral, Barber let out a deep gasp.

‘Barber? What’s wrong?’ Lana cried.

‘It’s her,’ he said.

‘Who?’

He pointed towards her.

‘My… Guardian Angel.’

‘Your Guardian Angel? What are you talking about?’

‘The woman who rescued me, all those years ago, when Sthenelaus stabbed me through the heart and left me for dead.’

It was Lana’s turn to gasp.

The woman smiled as she approached Declan.

‘Can I help you?’ he asked.

Lana and Emma both grabbed their boyfriends’ hands and walked forward.

‘Actually, I was hoping I might be able to help you.’

‘Sorry, I don’t understand. Do I know you?’

The woman shook her head. ‘No, but I know you, Declan.’

He raised his eyebrows and turned to Nisha. ‘Nisha, Saleena will help you back, okay?’ he gently took her arm and put it on Saleena’s.

Nisha nodded and was led away with most of the others. The only people left standing in the graveyard were the strange woman, Declan, the two sisters and their boyfriends.

‘How do you know me?’ he eventually asked.

‘I’ve been following you and the Watchers for years.’

‘Following?’

The woman nodded. ‘Sometimes helping, whenever I could,’ she briefly glanced at Barber and nodded.

He nodded back.

‘Perhaps we should talk indoors?’ suggested the woman.

‘Look, we’ve just lost two of our loved ones. I’m not in the mood for games, darlin’. Who are you and what are you doing here?’

‘Declan,’ Barber said, stepping forward. ‘This is the woman who rescued me from Sthenelaus all those years ago.’

Declan raised his eyebrows. ‘In that case, follow me.’

oOo

‘Thank you,’ the mysterious woman said to Wilbur as he passed her a cup of black tea with a slice of lemon on the side.

Declan opened the door and walked in.

‘Sorry, I had some important business to attend to. Now, who are you?’ he asked as he sat opposite her.

Lana and Emma hadn’t left her side; neither had Barber and Diarmuid.

‘My name is Marlene,’ she said, taking a sip of tea. ‘I’m Eleanor’s daughter.’

Everybody gasped, even Declan. ‘No, that isn’t possible, love.’

‘I can understand that you don’t want to believe that, but it’s true.’

‘If it’s true, then why did you never show yourself to her?’

‘Oh, I wanted to, how I wanted to, but I wasn’t permitted. They placed some kind of curse on me that prevented me from showing myself to her.’

‘And now?’

Marlene looked pained.

‘And now she’s gone,’ Emma whispered.

Marlene nodded.

‘Do you know if she’s… if she’s…? Lana began.

‘Dead?’ Marlene asked.

Lana nodded.

‘To be honest, I’m not sure. All I know is that I’ve never been able to get past the Praxos gates, but this morning, when I tried, I walked straight in.’

‘But how did you know to try in the first place? Declan asked.

‘I know an awful lot of people and I hear the news, the gossip. I heard about her and I knew I had to try.’

‘Marlene, how can we believe you?’ he asked. ‘After everything that’s happened over the past few days… you could be a Skull, for all we know.’

Marlene looked a little hurt but nodded. ‘I understand,’ she said, placing her cup and saucer on the coffee table in the middle of the sofas before standing and lifting her blouse to reveal the true Watcher’s mark: a winged-eye with the word
s
Seculo Seculoru
m
.

‘Seculo Seculorum? What’s that mean?’ asked Diarmuid.

‘Forever and ever,’ Declan answered, smiling.

‘In that case, welcome to Praxos Marlene. I’m sorry I doubted you.’

‘You believe me now?’

Declan nodded. ‘Ellie once told me she’d had a dream about a young woman with the words Seculo Seculorum on her back. She was certain it was you. I guess she was right.’

Marlene nodded and tears began to build up in her eyes. ‘I’ve wanted to come here for so long. I can’t describe how good this feels right now. This is where I belong. I just wish that my mother was here, too.’

Declan nodded. ‘I know. We’ve been trying to work out where Madge disappeared to, but so far, nothing. Not a single thing. The only lead we have is that she may have gone to Canada.’

Marlene nodded. ‘I take it you’ll be planning a trip there?’

Declan looked around at everybody and slowly nodded his head.

‘Declan? You didn’t tell us that? Why? We’re coming with you. You’re not leaving us behind. No way, not when Eleanor’s involved,’ Emma and Lana both began talking at once.

‘Whoa, whoa, wait a minute,’ he said gesturing with his hands to try and calm them down. ‘It’s being organised at the moment. We’re just waiting for confirmation from Patrick.’

Lana squealed. ‘You mean you were planning on taking us along?’

Declan nodded. ‘As much as it pains me to say so, yes. We need you. Your class is the strongest class of Watchers we’ve ever seen. We have no choice.’

Emma turned to Diarmuid and squeezed his hand so tightly he actually winced. But it didn’t stop him from grinning.

After a few minutes of thinking about Eleanor, Marlene, and a possible trip to Canada, Lana turned her attention back to Marlene. She scrutinised her for a few minutes, making Declan laugh out loud.

‘What are you doing?’

‘It’s okay, Declan,’ Marlene smiled. ‘I think maybe she’s recognising me.’

‘You do seem a little familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it.’

‘Perhaps that’s because you never actually saw me. Not properly anyway.’

‘I’m not sure…. when?’

‘When you first came to London, looking for Praxos. You were bullied by a couple of pretty mean guys. I threw you some rope.’

‘That was you?’ Lana laughed.

Marlene laughed.

‘Thanks,’ Emma said with a grin.

‘You’re most welcome.’

‘You sound a lot like her, you know?’

‘Really?’

Emma nodded.

‘Thank you, that’s really quite special to hear.’

‘You look a little alike too,’ Lana added. ‘When Eleanor’s young, that is, not old,’ she chuckled.

‘Thank you.’ Marlene smiled.

‘So what happens now, Declan?’ Lana asked.

‘We finalise plans and then we head to Canada.’

‘But what about classes?’

‘Oh your classes will continue alright.’

Lana groaned.

‘But we’ll be concentrating on fighting, self-defence and anything else you might need against the Skulls.’

‘Cool,’ Diarmuid said.

‘But what about Nisha?’ Emma whispered.

Declan’s face dropped. ‘I’m afraid Nisha will have to stay here. We can’t take her. Unless her eyesight returns, it’s too dangerous.’

‘She’s going to be devastated,’ Emma said, standing up and pulling Diarmuid up too.

‘Where are you going?’ asked Lana.