Rise of Alpha (The Prodian Journey #1) (19 page)

“There’s a first aid kit inside one of the drawers in the kitchen. Would you be kind enough to attend to Miss Shannon’s cut?”

“Of course,” I answered. “C’mon, let’s get this cleaned up.” I pivoted Shannon toward the door, glancing at Gilbert and mouthing,
what’s going on?

Gilbert shook his head and began picking up the shattered pieces.
 

Shannon protested, but her voice was faint. “It’s nothing.”

“Are you scared of blood?” I asked, knowing already what the answer was. She looked pale by the time we reached the kitchen, so I searched around for a chair, but everything was still covered with plastic bubble wrap. “Sit here.” I lifted her on the counter.
 

I opened the drawer closest to me, then another, and then the next one until I found the first aid kit. I flicked the spigot and felt the water until it was warm enough. “Let’s wash it off before I apply the bandage.”

Shannon turned her head away, hissing when I placed her finger under the running water. After I dabbed it dry, I put on the bandage. “See, ouchie’s gone,” I said, just like my mom used to when I was little.
 

After I gave her finger a kiss to make it better, she offered me a grateful smile. Without warning, I was hit another overwhelming urge to kiss her, but instead I let go of her hand and returned the kit to its drawer. If Shannon noticed the sudden shift in my mood, she didn’t say anything.

“Thank you,” she murmured and jumped down from the counter.
 

When I followed her upstairs, the muted sound of conversation came from the guestroom.

“Do you need help unpacking your boxes?” I asked, trying to distract Shannon. I had the feeling that whoever was inside the guestroom wasn’t talking about the weather.

“I’m feeling a little lazy right now. Why don’t we just hang out and listen to some music?”
 

Her bedroom was spacious compared to the matchbox I called my room. Her large bed occupied a huge amount of space, dwarfing the room. We lay side by side on the bare mattress, letting our legs dangle over the edge of the bed, and I handed her an ear bud.
 

“I’m digging a little dub step right now. Do you mind listening to Lindsey Stirling?”
 

“Oh, my god. You like her, too?” Shannon’s face broke into a big smile.
 

“Hell, yeah. You play the violin. I bet you can do what she does.”

Shannon shook her head but grinned. “Maybe . . . ”

I watched her mouth quirk into a cute, sheepish smile before I pressed play.
 

It was around lunchtime when Gilbert stuck his head through the door. “Pizza’s here!” he announced.

We jumped off the bed at the same time.
 

“Race you!” Shannon said and got a head start.

I would have beaten her if she hadn’t bumped me along the way, throwing me off balance. “You’re a cheater!”

Several hours later, I wobbled back to my house, feeling like an overstuffed pig. Not only had I eaten almost an entire large pizza, I’d even gobbled up a half dozen chicken wings.
 

Of course, being the gracious guest that I was, I also pitched in with unpacking and furniture moving. I would’ve stayed longer if Shannon hadn’t needed to get ready for Brittney’s party. At least half of the cool kids were invited.
 

Then there was me. Spending Saturday night alone. Again.

I rolled my eyes the moment I walked in the house. It was movie night for my parents.
 

“Hey guys, I’m home!” I hollered from the door before I took the stairs.

“Back so soon?” Mom asked, and Dad grunted a greeting. That told me they were too engrossed in the movie to notice if I responded.

I walked into my room, only to stumble backward in surprise. “What the hell?” Matro was there, laughing while I hurried to close the door.

“That is not a polite greeting, you know.” He was lounging on my bed, looking like he was ready to take up residence there.

“Then quit trying to give me a heart attack.” I dropped my cell phone on the desk and removed my shirt. “What brings you to this side of town?”

“Well, I said I’d be back, didn’t I?”
 

Matro crossed his legs at the ankles and rested his hands behind his head, the picture of relaxation. At least he had the decency to remove his shoes.
 

He raised an eyebrow.

“Good. I have questions for you.” I sat on my desk and turned the television on. “Just keep your voice down, will you?” To remind him my parents were in the house, I gestured toward the floor.

“The only voice your parents will hear is yours. I would worry more what they’ll think when they hear you talking to yourself.” He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. “So no one can see or hear you, but me?”

“Just you, my boy. And Larry and Moe, that is, if I want them to see me.”
 

“Why is that?”
 

“Because you’re the one person I’m allowing to witness my presence at all times.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I asked. “Can we skip the cryptic answers? Just give it to me in plain English.”

“The little guy has a temper.” It was obvious that Matro found this whole thing amusing. He sat up and planted his feet on the floor, but he didn’t get up. “Aarmarks are divine creatures. We’re like, um . . . deities?”

I narrowed my eyes, not at all pleased by his reply.
 

He raised his hands in mock apology. “Okay, okay. Where we came from, good and evil are relative. We’re a peace loving realm, and we care for our land, work with diligence, and care for one another.”

“So you are all just boring farmers?”

Matro turned somber. “Just like most beings, we are independent and peaceful, but we still have enemies. The Ergans and their employers from Pratrim.”

“Now we’re talking. Tell me more.” I leaned back in my chair, making myself comfortable. Then I remembered a more pressing matter. “Wait, we were attacked by those mofos yesterday in broad daylight.”

Matro didn’t appear worried. “You used the Mertest, right?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Of course I did. I need more.”

“Check your drawer and your glove compartment. You’re well stocked.”
 

“Dang, you’re fast.”

“I’m always watching you.”

That sounded strange. Why would he let me fend for myself if he was around, risking Shannon’s life in the process? “How come you didn’t help out?”

“It was a test. I needed to gauge your capacity to protect. Besides, I was nearby even if you couldn’t see me.”

“Did you see the part where one pawed me and drew blood?”

He nodded. “Shannon took care of it, right?”

“Did she know what it was?” When Matro hesitated, I waggled a finger at him. “Out with it.”

“Elizabeth has been using it on all her scrapes since she was a child. To Shannon, it is like carrying a homemade merthiolate.”

“A what?”
 

“It’s an over-the-counter antiseptic.”

“How come it worked on me?” This conversation was getting weirder by the second.

“Because it’s a divine product. Our spiritualist made it for us.”

“Kinda like the Mertest?”

“Sure.”
 

Whatever. Still the idea that he was nearby and didn’t help out didn’t sit well with me, and I spoke the thought aloud. “Next time, step in if you think I can’t handle the situation.”

“As you wish.”

“Fine. Now tell me about the Ergans.”

He smiled. “Ergans are creatures of the dark. They’ve been our foes from the beginning of time. Classic good versus evil. We have been in constant battle for as long as I can remember.” He stood up and walked over to the window before turning back to face me. “Be careful with those Ergans. They grew desperate after we defeated them and destroyed their territory. Right now, they’re scattered, but they are rebuilding. They are cunning and manipulative, and they will employ whatever means available to strike back.”

His statement jogged my memory, making me remember what the Ergans had told me some nights ago. “They called Detherina a whore. What was that all about?”

Matro’s eyes twitched. “Those bastards will poison your mind. They’ll tell you anything to win you over.”

“Which means?” I cocked my head. This wasn’t making any sense.
 

“Detherina asked the Prodians for help. Prodians are guardians of the fair—the truth as you call it. Our people are not accustomed to fighting, and we asked for their protection. This made Detherina a
whore
for seeking outside help. The Ergans accused her of escalating the campaign by involving other deities—”

“You called me Shannon’s Prodian. But I’m not a deity. I’m just human. Am I supposed to be some guardian of the truth?”

“You are her version of the truth.” Matro walked over to my bookcase and began thumbing through the titles.
 

I scratched my head, getting frustrated. “I already asked you to dumb it down. What does ‘her version of the truth’ mean?”
 

“There are things that I’m not at liberty to discuss with you. But I assure you, nothing those Ergans said was true.” He pulled out a book on the Civil War and walked back to the bed.

“How do I know you’re not just using me like a pawn?”
 

“You’re a smart one. You’ll know if you’re being played.”

That was the thing, though. I couldn’t tell. I hoped that the relationship developing between Shannon and me, whether friendship or something more, wasn’t going to be built on lies and deception.

“But what do I have that is so special?” This conversation was getting more frustrating with each passing minute. My shoulder jerked once and then again, a bit stronger. I breathed in and out, trying to suppress the next one.

Matro looked up from the book. “Are you okay?”

I hated the intrusion of my ever-present curse. “Why did I make the cut to be her protector? Look at me—I can’t even get through the day without humiliating myself. I’m not the hero type.”

“Detherina already told you about the vision of our sage. It is predestined. We have no power to change anything. You’ve been chosen to deal with this. It does not matter if we agree with it or not.”

“What’s in it for me?” As much as I wanted to be the one to save the day, the question remained. It sounded selfish, but I wanted to know what was waiting for me after all this was said and done.

Matro nodded as though he’d been waiting for that particular question. He closed the book, marking his place with a finger stuck between the pages.
 

“You’re making good friends. More than what you’d expected.”
 

It was a bizarre answer, but true. I watched Matro while he focused his attention back on the book. His pale eyes moved rapidly across the page. Right then, he looked normal to me, like a regular human.
 

“What sets humans apart from your kind?” I asked.

“Well . . . ” He thought for a moment and then looked me straight in the eye. “Nothing, really. We just belong to a different universe. We can travel though time and sense the general emotions and thoughts of lesser species.”

I knew it. He could read minds. I should have realized this the moment he started answering my unspoken questions. “That is a big difference in my opinion. Travel through time? Talk about big gas savings.”
Wait, did he just call me a lesser species?

He laughed, amused by my rambling. “What else do you want to know? You’re entitled to as much information as I am permitted to give you.”

“Why are we keeping Shannon in the dark? I mean, look. This is her life we’re talking about. Don’t you think she’s entitled to know what’s going on?” I meant it as an observation, but it came out sounding like a challenge.

“That is the Totren’s call. Daughter of our leader or not, we are all subjected to secrecy until one is considered a matured Aarmark. Even Shannon.” He paused. “I know you feel it’s not fair on her. She knows enough to get by, but until the Totren—or in this case, her mother—is ready to give her all the details, then it will remain a secret from her.”

“I believe in full disclosure. My life and my choice.” I felt a tremendous amount of sympathy for Shannon. What would happen after they told her? They would whisk her away to an unknown place instead of letting her make the decision for herself? Gone to a place where I wouldn’t see her anymore?

The idea unhinged me. How would I live after that? The past weeks had been the best I’d ever had. It didn’t matter what I had to do, as long as I was able to see Shannon every day.

“Human values are well-intentioned, but they don’t apply to our way of life.”
 

“But Shannon is being raised as human. You can’t turn her point of view on and off like a freakin’ light switch, you know.” How could they manipulate Shannon’s life without giving her room to choose for herself?