Shadowed Eden (20 page)

“Benny's been a big help. He told me he was willing to do whatever we needed done.” Except maybe he knew nothing about what he'd be getting himself into.

“Benny? Are you serious?”

“He's misunderstood, Luca.”

Luca chuckled and shook his head. “If you say so.”

She tried to hold in her smile but he was right, she did sound sort of ridiculous. She let a tiny laugh out before she forced herself to stop. “He's been OK. You've got to admit it.”

“Yeah, OK. Who else? June?”

Of all the people, why did he have to request her? Avery forced a smile and nodded. “Sure, if she's up to it. When do we leave?”

His gaze moved somewhere behind her and she turned to see Daddy searching his pockets frantically. After a few minutes, he scurried back to the van and slammed the door behind him.

“Guess you've got what he's looking for.”

Avery cringed. “Let's go first thing in the morning.”

“Agreed.”

She turned to go but he tugged on her arm. Heat climbed up her neck, but she ignored it.

“Thanks for telling me.”

She managed a smile and a shrug. “You told me about Rafa. I figured if you could trust me than I could trust you.”
Liar!
Screeched through her mind but she pushed it aside.

He smiled and rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Talk to you later.”

“Later.”

He turned back to the guys working under the van where Sam and Bradley still argued.

Avery bit her lip and turned away. She should have told him about the temple. Needed to tell him. She would definitely tell him. As soon as she had more answers.

23

Luca

Luca searched Chad's face, hoping for some crack in his determination to make the trek to the other side of the jungle. “Are you sure you want to go? Someone else can take your place. Erin needs you.”

The morning air gave him goose bumps and he hoped that one last plea would do the trick. In truth, he wanted to keep Chad around for himself. It almost felt like he didn't have so much responsibility with Chad here—someone else was making the decisions. Luca was just a guy again. He could do what he needed to do, without worrying about everyone else in the group.

“Buddy, we've got to have a serious talk about who the authority figure is in this relationship, but it can wait until we're home.” Chad smacked him on the shoulder and nodded. “Yes, I'm going. Hopefully we can make good timing and be back by tomorrow.”

He glanced behind Luca and Luca turned to follow his gaze.

Erin rested as she always did lately. Her eyes were closed, but she didn't seem to be asleep.

“Make her take some antibiotics, will you?” Chad said. “She won't listen to me.”

Luca chuckled. “Yes, sir.”

The rest of the group gathered to send Chad and his group off. They'd found a few containers in the food box and luggage that could be used to carry the gas, and Chad would tear off a hose from the old van to use for syphoning.

Luca and the rest of them waited until Chad's group was several yards into the desert before they broke up to their own tasks.

Bradley and Sam moved to the van and continued their work in finding the leak in the gas line. Today they would work on plugging it up, then they would get everything repacked for tomorrow in hopes Chad would return by nightfall.

“Should we go?” Avery's soft voice pulled his gaze away from the van. She was a much more welcomed sight. He needed to tell her that, maybe soon.

“We've got to talk to Benny and June. Have you seen your dad?”

“He's in the van again. What if we run into him in the jungle? Do you think he'll be mad?”

Luca put his hands on her shoulders. “Don't worry about that, Avery. Why would he be mad? We're in the jungle, looking around same as him.”

She nodded, but the worry lines around her eyes didn't disappear. “OK.”

“Do you want to talk to June? I'll ask Benny to come along,” she asked.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

She moved around him and headed for Benny who sat near the fire.

Luca turned and scanned the camp for June. She sat alone near the trees, and he made his way through the sand toward her.

When he got close, she looked up at him and smiled. “Hi.”

He smiled back and nodded toward the sand beside her. “Care if I sit?”

She shook her head so he slid to the ground. “We're going into the jungle to do some exploring. Feel up to coming?”

“Exploring? What for?” She fidgeted with her shirt hem.

He paused, frowning. June wasn't what he would call coy, so he wasn't sure about the sudden shyness. But he let it go. “There are parts of the jungle we haven't seen yet, and we'd like to check it out. See what's out there.” That was mostly true, and there wasn't any need to include Mr. Miles's name in this.

“Sure, I'll come. Who else is going?”

Did he imagine she leaned into him?

“Um, Avery. And Benny, I think.”

“Great. When do we leave?”

Luca glanced around for Avery. She and Benny strode toward him, so he stood. “Now, if you're up for it.”

June moved to her feet. “Absolutely.”

“You guys are nuts,” Benny said. He turned to Avery. “No offense. But this is crazy. Haven't we seen enough of this place?”

“I think it's a good idea,” June said. “This place could hold all kinds of treasures. I can't wait to look around!”

Luca caught Avery's look at June's odd words. “I didn't know you were so interested,” he said quickly. June couldn't know about Mr. Miles's activities.

June shrugged. “I've had lots of time to let my mind wander.”

Avery seemed to relax, so Luca shrugged. “Yeah, I guess that's true. Should we go?”

Avery didn't reply, just turned and started walking. She seemed to know which way she was going. She must have memorized the map, which was good because they definitely didn't want to pull it out for the others to see.

“What do you think we'll find in here?” June asked. “Any suspicions?”

“I heard a few kids from the other group talking about a fruit orchard,” Avery said. The words rolled right off her tongue like she'd been practicing how to respond to the question. Knowing Avery, she probably had.

“We have fruit,” June said. “And hopefully we'll get out of here soon so it won't matter.”

Avery turned and frowned as she walked. “I thought you wanted to come.”

“I do. I just don't see what's so great about a fruit orchard. Maybe we can look around more than that.”

Luca watched her, holding in his frown, but curious. It almost felt like she was fishing for answers. Maybe a specific answer.

Luca cleared his throat. “We've been stuck here for days. We just want to see what else is out there.” No need to have a fight right here in the jungle. And what had gotten into June, anyway?

Truthfully he'd rather be doing this than sitting around the desert, watching Bradley and Sam work on the van while he fiddled his thumbs, useless. Something hit him, though, that almost had him turning around. “We forgot about Erin.”

“I gave her more aspirin just before we left. I even got her to take some amoxicillin.”

Everyone looked to Benny.

Luca stared in shock.

“You did that?” Avery asked.

Benny frowned. “Sure I did. I'm not totally useless, you know.”

“I know you're not, Benny. I told you before you've been a huge help on this trip. If you can call it a trip.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Benny stormed ahead of them.

“Benny, wait!” Avery dashed forward to catch him. “You don't know where you're going.”

“Going home will be nice, don't you think?” June strolled beside him as they brought up the rear. A thin sheen of sweat glowed on her skin.

“Definitely,” Luca said. “But we'll have to get you to the hospital right away. You need to have that bite checked out.”

“It's no big deal. I'm fine.”

“Still. You got bit by a snake.”

She smiled and nodded. “Right. I'll get it checked out.”

They walked a few minutes in silence.

Up ahead, Avery had caught Benny and they walked together now. Avery spoke, but Luca couldn't make out what she said.

“So you and Avery used to date?”

She seemed genuinely interested, but he definitely didn't want to discuss it with her. “Yeah, a while back.”

“It's too bad it didn't work out.”

“I guess so. We should probably catch up to them.” He picked up the speed and June jogged to follow his long strides.

Benny's sour face had relaxed, and Avery patted his back. Whatever Benny's issue was had been worked out now. Thank goodness.

Luca had enough girl drama; he didn't feel like dealing with guy drama, too. “Do you think we're getting close?” he asked Avery.

She met his eye and nodded. “We're on the right track. It will be a while before we get there, though.”

Luca wracked his brain for a clear image of the map. The fruit orchard was beside the shaded area. It had been a long way into the jungle; definitely closer to the other group's camp. If he'd been so close, why hadn't Mr. Miles explored that area before they left their side of the jungle? It didn't make any sense.

They walked a mile or two in silence, and when sweat began pouring down his back, Luca pulled out the water bottles and passed them around. The water sailed down his throat. It was seriously the best water he'd ever drank. If someone could bottle it and ship it out, they'd make a fortune.

“Let's take a break,” Avery said. “I want to sit for a minute.” She didn't wait for anyone to agree, just sat on a boulder at the end of a rock wall. Her eyes scanned the area constantly, maybe looking for signs of the orchard.

But then Luca remembered the beetles. Was she seeing them now?

“Thank goodness for breaks.” June's words pulled him away from staring at Avery. June leaned against the natural rock wall. “Walking in this humidity is exhausting.”

“Are you sure you're OK?” Luca asked. “Is your leg sore?”

“I'm fine. More water, please.”

He managed a laugh and handed over a bottle.

She took one, long swig and sighed. “This water is so good.”

Luca frowned. Her eyes looked different. Green now? He shook his head. They'd always been green, hadn't they? Forget it. He shouldn't be noticing her eyes anyway.

After resting for a few minutes, they restarted their hike.

“We've got to be getting close by now,” Luca said.

“Yeah, I think so,” Avery agreed. Her eyes continued their constant scan.

After a few minutes, he picked up a pattern.

She kept looking to the left—their group was veering right. What did she see?

“I've got to go to the bathroom.” Avery paused. “Can you guys give me a minute?”

“Sorry, no bathroom out here,” Benny said.

They all paused. Was he serious? But he grinned.

Benny trying to joke? That was new.

Luca laughed. “Very funny, dude.”

Avery scurried to the left and disappeared behind the trees.

Luca frowned. It was the area she'd been watching, and something about that didn't sit well. Not that he could exactly follow her, but still. If she didn't come back quickly—drastic times called for drastic measures.

Or whatever.

24

Avery

Avery stepped lightly across the jungle floor, trying her best not to attract any attention from the others. The air had been wavering and twisting for the past half hour and she finally decided it was time to figure out what was happening.

Glancing behind her one last time to make sure she wasn't being followed, Avery barreled ahead.

A moment later, the temple appeared.

She sucked in a deep breath and slowed to a stop. She pressed her hand against the cool stone walls. Was she really meant to find whatever she would learn inside?

There was only one way to find out.

She pushed her way inside, then drank in the interior. The room was enormous and empty, all except the altar. Avery moved toward it but the book was gone. She huffed and ran her hand over the smooth stones. Why had the temple appeared, if there was nothing to see?

She spun around, searching for anything she might have missed. A single window rose toward the ceiling at the far end of the temple. There was no glass, only bars. Avery moved toward it and peeked into the jungle. Nothing looked familiar and Avery's stomach dropped. What if she ended up like Katelyn and Gabby, lost for two days?

But then she turned and saw the front door, and she remembered the way she'd come.

Closing her eyes, Avery took a deep breath. She was being ridiculous. This was ridiculous.

“Why did you bring me here?” she said out loud.

Rae must have brought her to the temple for a reason.

“Where are you?” The words came out too loud and echoed around the cold, dim room. She sighed and turned back to the altar, and there on the stones lay the book. Avery gasped again and rushed forward. She opened the book and the pages fell to where she'd left off.

For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

She studied the words and considered their meaning. There was a devil here—it was something that didn't surprise her because of all the crazy things happening. But a battle with God Almighty?

She scanned the rest of the page, but most of the words sounded like gibberish. She read to the bottom when one last phrase stood out to her.

Life cometh to those who ofercom, but death cometh to those who are ofercom.

Avery swallowed hard then gently closed the book. None of this made sense. Why her? She couldn't do anything to overcome anyone, certainly not in some battle to the death in a war with the almighty God.