Marker of Hope (25 page)

“Must be a tiny car.”

“What?” Frederick glanced back at me. “Why
would you think that, madam?”

“There’s no way a car would fit in this
tunnel. It’s so narrow I’m starting to feel claustrophobic.”

“Oh.” Fredrick stopped his stride. “Sorry.
I’ll fix that for you.” He lifted the lamp to the soil wall, and it
pulled away. I could see it happening, but my brain couldn’t
understand how it was possible. The soil wall wasn’t disappearing,
but somehow receding. But to where? In seconds, there was an arm’s
length more space in the tunnel. “Better, madam?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “Much better. Thank
you.”

Frederick turned toward the darkness
ahead.

“He’s lovely, isn’t he?” Galilea gushed as we
walked. “So thoughtful.”

“Yeah, sure,” I said. “How did he make the
walls widen?”

“I don’t know how I do it, madam,” Frederick
said without turning to look back. “I just can.”

“Hey, um… Frederick, could you do one more
thing for me?” I asked.

“If it’s within my power, yes.”

“Could you not call me, ‘madam’? My name is
Isis.”

Frederick stopped and looked over his
shoulder. He said, “I suppose I can,” and resumed walking. “But it
makes me uncomfortable.”

“You feel uncomfortable calling me by my
name?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Soldiers don’t address their leader by their
first name,” Galilea explained. “It’s customary to use a suitable
title.”

“What does it have to do with—” And it dawned
on me. “Oh. No. You’ve got this all wrong. I’m no one’s leader.
Galilea, tell him.”

“You don’t have to be modest.” Frederick cast
the lamp’s glow on me. “Madam, my—”

“
Isis
,” I interrupted. “It’s just
Isis.”

“No. It’s Madam Isis from now on,” he
countered. “I vowed to fight for you and for your cause.” He waved
at my pregnant stomach. “It’s not fitting I call my leader by her
first name. Don’t expect me to do it—especially not in the presence
of the rest. If the commanding officer doesn’t show respect toward
you, neither will your army.”

The gears and cogs in my head turned, but the
more I thought, the more Frederick’s words confused me. What in the
Sam Hill was he talking about?

“I’m sorry, but—what?” I asked.

“She doesn’t know?” Frederick raised his brow
at Galilea.

“The only thing I know is the more you talk
about whatever you’re talking about, the less I understand,” I
said. “And Galilea, why do I get the feeling you’ve been scheming
behind my back?”

She shrugged. “Your excellent inference
skills?”

“What’s going on, Galilea?” My angry
pregnancy hormones kicked in. “Why didn’t you tell me about
Frederick and about this plan?”

“You’re too emotional with the pregnancy,
with David’s health. I didn’t want you to worry more. It’s not good
for—”

“For the baby. Thanks. I’ve got that one down
to a T. But still…”

“It was an escape plan in case the Turpis
found you. I couldn’t say anything up there—on the surface—without
the risk of sabotaging it. What if they were listening?”

“Okay. You’ve got a point there. But what’s
this talk about an army?” I asked.

“Wait, wait.” Frederick raised his index
finger. “You’re joking—right?” He glanced between Galilea and me.
“You do know who I am?”

“I don’t even know what I’m doing here. How
am I supposed to know who you are?”

He frowned at Galilea. She gave him an
apologetic look in return.

“Tell me something,” Frederick said. “Do you
know how to fight? Have you ever been in a battle?”

Galilea snorted. “I wouldn’t call it
fighting. Kitty clawing would be a good description.”

“Hey!” I said. “I’m still alive. I’ve done
okay so far.”

“Galilea…” Frederick pinched the bridge of
his nose. “Darling, you said she was the Marker of Hope. You said
she knew about the war.”

“The war, I know about,” I said. “It’s the
Marker of Hope thing I’m debating.”

“Debating?” Frederick snorted. “Great.
Wonderful,” he said. “We have an unconvinced leader who can neither
lead nor fight. Anything else I need to know?”

“There is one tiny, teeny thing I didn’t
mention before,” Galilea said. “It’s nothing, really.” She glanced
at me. “Just a minor detail.”

Crap. Frederick didn’t know I was
Creatura.

“I don’t know,” I said. “It’s been a pretty
major pain in the ass for me.”

“What has?” Frederick asked.

“Uh… We can talk it over later. Let’s get
going. We have to get to the others.” Galilea took the lamp from
Frederick’s hand and walked ahead of us. “We’ve wasted enough time
down here.”

“Oh no you don’t.” He caught up to Galilea
and stopped her in her tracks. “You wouldn’t have brought it up if
it wasn’t important. I need to know what I’m up against. Tell
me.”

“I will,” she said. “As soon as we get out of
here. Cross my heart.”

I honestly didn’t care if Galilea told
Frederick I was Creatura right then or later. The urgency to get
out of that cave and to my family was wearing me thin.

We followed Galilea deeper into the tunnel
until we reached a fork. Frederick signaled her to take the passage
on the right. Just a short distance ahead, I saw light. We walked
into a room—or cave—with no less than twenty monitors hanging on
one of the walls. Off to the side stood a bright green, roofless
vehicle. Having walked through darkness for so long, the color was
all the more blinding. And I’d never seen a car with six tires
before.

“I like what you’ve done with the place,”
Galilea said, looking around.

“Thanks.” Frederick glanced at me. “I hope
it’s to your liking, as well, madam?”

“It’s Isis,” I corrected him once again. “And
it looks good—I think. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be.”

“Our surveillance area. I’ll be monitoring
you from down here. Strictly for security measures.” He clicked on
a button, and the monitors went from white fuzz to black-and-white
pictures of the dark forest. “I’m sorry about the cameras. The
equipment isn’t the most sophisticated. But it’ll do—for now. We’re
in the process of installing new ones. Also, there aren’t any
cameras on the premises of the estate yet. But as soon as you give
the order, I’ll set them up.”

“I don’t like the idea of being watched
around the clock,” I said. “That’s beyond creepy.”

“It’s for your safety,” Frederick contested.
“And for your child’s. If there’s an attack, we’ll have a plan in
place, be ready, like today.”

“You know he’s right,” Galilea said. “We need
all the help we can get. I’m not doing too hot these days.”

“I don’t know,” I said. “This is a little too
much for me. I mean, I don’t even know this guy, and he wants to
watch me on his cameras like some kind of lab monkey.”

“I’m a warrior. And I can assure you I’m a
fit commander, direct descendent of Athena. Strategic war tactics
are in my blood.” He walked to the car and ran his finger across
the hood. “I also have knowledge of valuable information.
Information you’d find very interesting and perhaps
life-saving.”

“You’ve been keeping secrets from me,”
Galilea said to him. “What sort of information?”

“Just a minor detail. I’ll tell you later,”
he said in a mocking tone. “Cross my heart.”

Galilea crossed her arms. “Oh, so we’re
playing that game, yeah? What will it take to make you talk,
Freddy?”

“How about a kiss?” Frederick grinned. “Then,
maybe, I’ll think about it.”

Galilea touched her fingers to her lips and
blew out a puff of air in Frederick’s direction.

“Nope,” he said. “Not good enough.”

“Uh, Frederick.” I interrupted their
flirting. “You’re going to have to tell me whatever it is you’re
holding back.”

“Tell me what
you’re
withholding from
me, and I will.”

“Nope,” Galilea said. “Isis knows better than
to bargain with someone she’s barely met.”

“If it gets us out of here any faster,
I’ll
tell you,” I said. “I’m not as human as I look. I’m
Creatura.”

“Or not.” Galilea sighed.

Frederick gawked at me with what I imagined
to be disbelief.

“Your turn. Tell me what you know,” I
said.

He took a moment to compose himself, and then
he said, “It’s the Council who want you dead. They’ve formed an
allegiance with the Turpis.”

CHAPTER 28

“The Council knows about me?” I asked.

“Not all the members,” Frederick said.

Galilea placed a hand on Frederick’s tone,
olive arm. “How many know?”

“Seven, maybe eight. But let me clarify,” he
said to me. “They know you’re the Marker of Hope. They don’t know
you’re…”

“Creatura,” I finished his sentence. “But if
they don’t know I’m Creatura, then why do they want me dead?”

“Because the changes the child you’re
carrying will bring aren’t in their best interest.”

I knit my brow. “Meaning?”

“You know the story, don’t you—about the
Marker of Hope?” he asked. I nodded. “Well, what happens when
humans become so like us, like the gods they once praised? Mankind
gets a step up in evolution, while deities remain the same.”

“Wait.” Galilea gasped. “Are you saying
there’s a rebellion underway?”

“I’m saying,” Frederick breathed, “the
uprising has, in fact, begun.”

“But why? This change, it’s a good thing,” I
told him. “Your kind will remain the same, but humans will become
more aware of their flaws and fix their mistakes. I’ve been told
future generations will end wars. There’ll be no famine.” I touched
my stomach. “Isn’t this what we all want, a world where our
children—where we—can all live in peace?”

“Lamentably, no. Not everyone.” Frederick’s
dark eyes grew darker. “There are deities who don’t believe in
equality. They resist change because they consider themselves
righteous, supreme beings, high above man. Most of all, they resent
Deus for giving humans yet another chance at redemption. But what
these egotistic gods have forgotten is how they once vowed to
protect humans. Pride has poisoned them, and you, Madam Isis, are
now their nemesis, and the sole target their blind eyes allow them
to see.”

“Isis,” Galilea shook her head, “I swear I
didn’t know what was happening. I admit, I asked for his help, but
that was it.” She twisted her head to look at Frederick. “Wait a
minute. Were you using me to get information on her? You told me
you loved me, you jerk. I trusted you!”

“I wasn’t lying.” He lifted shoulder. “I’d
convince you of it if you gave me the opportunity.”

“Sorry, Freddy, but this girl,” she used her
thumb to point at herself, “is taken.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not the jealous
type.” He grinned.

Maybe it was that I couldn’t imagine Galilea
with some other guy who wasn’t Galen. Or maybe—hard to believe, as
it was—I’d grown fond of David’s big brother in spite of his
asinine personality. Whatever the reason, I disliked the chemistry
between Frederick and Galilea. I wondered if they’d, in fact,
dated. That, however, was topic of conversation for another time.
Right now, I was more interested in learning about my new allies
and rivals.

“Frederick,” I said, walking closer to him.
“How do you know about the uprising? How can you be certain it’s
members of the Council who want me dead?”

“I have informants in Caelum, one of them
within the rebellion as an infiltrator in the Council,” he said.
“It took long to gain the Council’s trust and get admitted into
their circle. When our informant was finally in, you disappeared.”
He tipped his head at Galilea. “Good job on your end. Even I
couldn’t track you.”

“Well, this gets better and better.” I rubbed
the back of my neck. “I wasn’t expecting this at all. What am I
supposed to do?”

“Lead us,” Frederick said. “Give the order
and I’ll assemble your army. I’ve already sought out deities to
join us. We’ll take our adversaries down before they can organize
any more attacks against you.”

Easy for him to say. Who in their right mind
would go up against deities
and
demons? My stomach
tightened, and then I felt the life inside it move. I touched the
hard bump on my side. How could he ask me to lead, to fight, when I
was carrying this precious thing? I couldn’t risk my child’s
life.

“And if your plans don’t succeed? They’ll
come after me with more rage, and what then? They’ll take my baby.
Rip her out of me.” The words made a lump form in my throat. “No. I
can’t.”

“Yes, you can.” Fredrick said. “You’re meant
to do this. The Council is after you because the prophecy
foretells—”

“The prophecy is wrong,” I said, firmly. “I’m
not a leader. The only thing I intend to do is keep my baby alive,
and you’ll have to settle for that.”

“But, madam, your—”

“No.”

“Isis,” Galilea said. “We’ve already been
through this. You have to.”

“
No
!” I snapped. “I said no. Take me
back to the estate.
Now
. I’ve had enough. I have to see
David, and I need to find my mom.”

Frederick’s jaw clenched. He turned his back
to me, strands of black hair cascading over his tense shoulders. He
stepped toward the car and opened the passenger door. I slid into
the front seat, and Galilea took a place in the back. Frederick
buckled himself in on the driver’s side. He pushed a button, and
the roofless car’s engine revved to life. The doors—front and
back—were lined with tiny white bulbs. Electric blue numbers
illuminated the dashboard.

“I’m positive they’re safe,” Frederick
said.

“Excuse me?” I said.

“Your family.”

But how could he really know?

The car veered in the direction of the tunnel
we’d entered, headlights lighting the way. I didn’t know how
Frederick planned to fit the car through such a narrow channel. But
as the car began to move forward, I saw the extent of his power.
The dirt walls expanded just enough to let the car through. I
twisted my neck to look at Galilea sitting in the backseat, but she
didn’t seem at all surprised. She did look angry, though. I turned
around and focused on the brightly lit dashboard. I couldn’t blame
her for not understanding the decision I’d taken—to not lead their
revolution. Maybe she didn’t understand my hands were tied. I
couldn’t go off seeking wars when my daughter’s life was what the
opposition wanted.