Transcending the Legacy (20 page)

I keep my hands tightly around her.
“No I have her.”

Nate doesn’t push, he just tucks one hand in his pocket and places his hand on my back to help guide me out of the truck.

Siobhan and Jake have two duffle bags with them as they jump from the back of the truck. The Rephaim, Seth and Errol, have come into view now. Seth asks, “What is it? Why have we stopped?”

We all look at Xander for him to answer why we have stopped.
Even Tessa pulls away from me to look at him. Xander’s eyes find Nate and he walks over to join him. Xander stumbles to find the right words to keep Tessa from understanding what has happened to Stella. “Uh, I need to...plant this. Cover it up.”

Nate looks over at the
Rephaim, “Ira, we need to take it into the woods. Will you guard us while we...plant it?”

Wa
it, how does Nate know about it? Did I miss Xander telling him?

Ira looks at me
, then the others questioningly. “Just give it to me. I will take care of it.”

Ira approaches Xander to take the bundle, but Xander holds it deeper into his body. “No, I have to...Nate and I have to do it.”

As the odd exchange continues, Siobhan tosses Nick a canteen of water. He hands it to Elisha and tells Xander, “Here, I will go with you man.”

Nate and Xander both respond hurriedly at the same time, “No.”

What is up with them? Why do they have to bury it together? I watch Xander look from Nate to Ira then say, “We need you to help us, Ira.”

By the way they are acting, I know it isn’t just the burial of this puppy.
I’m about to call them out, ask what exactly do they need help with when Tessa catches me off guard asking curiously, “What are you planting Xander?”

All of us look at each other concerned for Tessa’s reaction.
I quickly turn with Tessa in my arms and walk back to the truck away from the rest of the guardians. She pulls away from my shoulder and looks directly at me searching for truth. “Jesca, what are they doing?”

As I walk, I look back at Xander and Nate talking quietly with Ira as the other guardians watch my retreat with Tessa. Ira studies their words, then peers at Tessa and I. Silently, the three of them start to head into the brush with Ira leading and Lathan behind them. With the truck doors open, I set Tessa on the floorboard and stand in front of her.
Shiva comes out from under the bench somberly slinking toward Tessa and I and she sits on her haunches next to Tessa. Shiva sniffs her head, licks her cheek with no reaction from Tessa, then looks at me appearing to await my answer just like this little girl.

I can’t lie to her. “You know how we talked about life being a cycle last night?”

Her small face becomes serious. “Yes.”

I spy Ezra making his way over to us
, careful to not draw Tessa’s attention from me.

I continue talking to her. “You are so smart to understand how life is a cycle
, Tessa.”

Tessa looks down at her fingers as she fiddles with them. “Thanks.”

Shiva’s long nose leans over and licks Tessa’s forehead again, distracting her for a moment as she searches behind her for something.

“Where is Stella?” she asks in her small inquisitive voice.

She starts to rise to climb further into the truck to look for her, but I take hold of her hands and keep her from rising.

Tessa’s neck is sti
ll craning, looking for her pup. “Stella?”

I call to her gently to get her attention. “Tessa.”

Her wide, seeking eyes meet mine as her chest rises and falls faster and faster. The panic is starting to swell in her small body and all I hope for is that I can say the right words to take the pain away from her.

“Stella didn’t make it, Tessa.”

Noticeably surprised, Tessa’s voice is barely audible. “No, she was in the truck. I saw her under the bench.”

I shake my head.
“She must have passed during the commotion on the truck.”

Tessa’s eyes well-up with tears instantly. I lean in, not taking my eyes from hers. “I’m sorry
, Tessa. I’m sorry about Stella...” I hesitate for a moment, then decide to say it, “...and your dad.”

She looks down, pulls one of her hands from mine and wipes the tears from her eyes.
Her dampened blue eyes ogle me as she states fiercely, “My dad isn’t dead.”

I’m about to tell her that it isn’t possible her father survived
the Dwellers’ attack, but hearing the conviction in her voice and seeing the determination on her face I can’t do it; can’t break her any more than she already is. I can’t break her hope, her conviction, her determined personality. If thinking her father is alive is the glue holding her together, then I will not deny her that.

She squeezes my hands and echoes again softly, “Dad isn’t dead.”

I squeeze her hand gently and pull her to me. She doesn’t hesitate climbing back into my arms and resting her head on my shoulder. I place my hand on her head and whisper, “Okay, Tessa.”

Who am I to t
ell her that her father is dead? I didn’t see him die. Didn’t see him taken by Dwellers. What if he hid?

Abruptly, Shiva jumps down from the truck and runs in the direction Ira led Xander, Nate, and Lathan.
I turn and notice Ezra leaning against one of the doors watching me as I sway back and forth with Tessa in my arms. A fraction of a grin tugs at the corner of his mouth, but his expression doesn’t give away what he might be thinking. I try my hand at my long lost telepathy. Damn, no luck.

Frustrated, I mumble, “What are you thinking?”

Ezra let’s the hint of a smile fade before he answers, “You handled that well.”

I don’t need my psychic ability to know that isn’t all he was thinking.

Ezra looks back at the others and says, “I’m going to tell them about your vision.”

Before he escapes, I ask softly “Is that it? Were you thinking about something else?”

Half turned in the direction of the others, Ezra glances back at me and says, “She is like you, Jesca, Strong willed and brave; a force to be reckoned with. She will be fine with you by her side.”

His voice hitches with emotion on the last few words. Hastily, he turns on his heels and joins Daniel and Sebastian. Sentiments are rare for Ezra, but I’m noticing more and more they are becoming impossible for him to hide as we get closer to the mounds.
I have to admit, it is the same for me. The closer I get to the mounds, with every divination I conjure in my mind, every sign revealed in the visions, every word my father says to me, my fear grows, wondering what my legacy will require of me in order to save us all. When I learn what I must do, will I be able to face it head on without losing my courage?

Ira leads us into the brush. I turn to see Jes carrying Tessa back to the truck. She is going to talk to her, tell her what happened. I notice Ezra walking toward her now. I’m relieved to know that she won’t have to tell Tessa on her own. The rest of the crew is standing guardedly, huddled into pairs, except for Sam. He is watching us walk off with Ira and Lathan. I send my thought to Xander,
“He is watching us.”

Looking at the back of Xander’s head, I notice him turn to glance in Sam’s direction then straight ahead at Ira. He thinks,
“He isn’t saying anything, Nate. Not before we can tell Ira. ”

Yeah, we tell Ira and they decide that saving us isn’t worth the risk. I look back behind me at Lathan. His jet black hair is covering his forehead, falling
into this yellowish cat eyes. His shoulders span the length of a car windshield. He eyes me and murmurs something in Aramaic. Ira says something unrecognizable in return to his murmur. What if they can hear us thinking and they already know what we are up to? What if they are going along with it until they get us deeper in the woods, then WACK! They kill us!

I look back in the direction of the crew and truck, but I can’t see them.
The heavy shrubs and trees have concealed us. I stop walking, “Wait.”

Ira and Xander stop and turn to look at me at the same time.

“This is the spot.”

Xander looks a little surprised, but
goes along with my call and nods. “Yeah, this spot will work.”

Xander takes the small pup from under his shirt.
Ira and Lathan both move in closer to look at the small canine just as Xander squats down in the tall grass. He says, “We need something to dig with.”

I crouch down next to him and search in the tall grass for a sharp edged rock to dig with. Feeling around for only a few minutes, my hand grazes something hard. “I have something.”

I dig my fingers around the edges and pull it out of the clay-like dirt. The rock is jagged and flat; it will work perfectly. I take hold of it and strike at the ground, pulling dirt from the hole I’m making.
The ground is fairly soft from the rain, so it doesn’t take long to make a hole big enough to lay the puppy to rest. “There.”

Xander places Stella on the ground next to the shallow hole as
Ira and Lathan crouch down further to see what we are doing. The pup’s small silver body is curled up peacefully.

Startlingly, movement in the grass behind me puts me on alert. Xander aims his gun in the direction of the sound and Ira and Lathan rise, ready to attack.
The sleek silver streak is visible in the tall grass as it pounds toward us; Shiva. I can’t deny that I’m a little worried that she has come to attack us for taking her pup. Squelching my concern, she slows and walks toward us, her nubby tail tucked low on her backend; she means no harm. Xander tucks his gun away just as she approaches us. I call to her gently, “It’s okay girl. Come.”

She nudges against me with her body and I ru
n my hand along her silver coat. “It’s alright, girl.”

Shiva pokes her nose closer to Stella’s body and releases a whine.

“She has come to say farewell,” says Ira.

Xander lifts Stella from the ground, bringing her closer to Shiva. Shiva nudges Stella with her snout, licks her once, sits on her rump, then watches us.
Xander takes the pup and lays it in the hole gently. Lathan reaches down to the ground, scoops up a handful of dirt, then places it on top of Stella’s silver body as he says, “Ashes to ashes.”

Amazed by Lathan’s gesture, I watch him take a final scoop of dirt and cover the small hole completely, placing his hand on the rested dirt, and closing his eyes. Shiva looks from his hand, up to his face, then she does something I didn’t expect. She rises up on her hind legs and licks Lathan’s chin.

Lathan’s eyes fly open and he groans, “Ahhh!” He proceeds in releasing a chain of words in Aramaic directing them at Shiva.

Shiva barks and runs back toward the truck and crew.

Ira smirks and rises, “If that is all. We must go.”

What does he mean by that? ‘If that is all’.

Xander and I glance at each other as we both rise. Xander thinks, “
This is it.”

Xa
nder turns to face Ira squarely. “There is something else.”

Ira crosses his arms over his chest and narrows his golden eyes on Xander. “What is it?”

Xander begins, “A Dweller is stalking us.”

I clarify, “
Hunting us, not consuming us…yet.”

As soon as I speak Ira’s eyes latch onto mine. I continue, “
It started with me, but somehow it is transferring between Nate and I now.”

Xander
says, “It isn’t visible like the Dwellers that have been attacking. It is a hybrid of some kind, completely hidden.”

Xander explains what he saw in his vision. How Michael’s soul and a
Dweller had melded together somehow, creating this invisible Dweller, a hybrid that is attacking us.

Ira raises his open hand for us to be quiet and asks, “Nate was preyed upon first?”

I look at Xander just as he looks at me, surprised at Ira’s calm attitude. We both nod and Xander responds, “Yes.”

Ira looks at me, then Xander as he asks, “You protected him?”

Without thinking Xander says, “Of course. He is my cousin. ”

Ira makes a move toward me. “You could have killed her!” he growls.

Xander blocks Ira’s advance. “Look damn it! Nate is still in there fighting this Dweller.”

Xander puts his hand over his heart, “I am still fighting it.
It hasn’t attached to us yet. It is waiting, using us until it gets what it wants.”

Lathan’s deep voice rises, “It wants the girl before she can summon the
legacy.”

Ira peers
over Xander’s and my head at Lathan with obvious concern of what this Dweller teetering between us could do to Jes before we get to the mounds.

I look between both Ira and Lathan as I say, “Our abilities
will get stronger as we get closer to the mounds! We can fight this thing off, but we have to keep it from the other guardians. We think this being could attack, turn one of us at any moment if any of the others found out about it. The only one we knew we could tell and still keep them safe was you. We need your help.”

Ira tilts his head.
“How?”

Xander
explains, “This being is messing with us, clinging to us, but when we are near you, it keeps it in check. They fear you because they know you can kill them. Like right now, I can’t feel its presence at all. In the compound, while you were guarding us, we both felt its presence.”

Lathan bellows, “It was in the compound!”

He turns and starts ranting in Aramaic again.

Ira calms him with a response to his ravings in their ancient language.

Lathan is pacing a few feet away from us
now. “We shouldn’t be considering this, Ira! This is not what we do! We can’t form ties with them! We are just meant to get them to the mounds safely, that is all.”

Ira looks up into the sky and wipes the misting drizzle from his face. “It is too late for that
, Akha. We are already tied to them.”

Akha?

Xander asks, “Akha. What does that mean?”

Ira observes Xander then me before he
answers, “It means brother in my language.”

His manner in telling me the definition imparts more than its simple meaning. I can feel that his intent is for us
to acknowledge the brotherhood that Nate and I have come to embrace.

Ira uncrosses his arms and takes a threatening step toward us. Xander
and I both react, taking a step back. His body stoops to meet us at eye level. “If either of you fall captive to this beast, we will kill it. Whoever it has possessed will risk being killed as well. Do you understand?”

Hearing the ultimatum from my potential executioner, is surreal. Words have escaped me, so I nod. Ira backs away just as I am remind
ed that someone else could put everyone around us at risk; Sam. “There is something else,” I add.

“More?” Lathan throws his arms up and mumbles in his foreign tongue.

I keep one eye on him as I tell Ira my concern. “Sam, he suspects something. I don’t know how much, but I know that he is close to discovering what is going on with this hybrid
Dweller.”

Ira’s searching express
ion turns to one of realization. “Michael had controlled him. He sees it in your behavior.”

Considering the complications of Sam telling the others makes my chest tighten.

Xander puts words to my thoughts, “He can’t say anything. We can’t tell him to keep quiet. If we do, we risk this Dweller taking one of us and attacking.”

Ira bows his head. “I will handle Sam. Come, we need to...”

The sound of twigs breaking behind us cut his words short as we turn to scan the heavy woodland for the invader.