Reckoning (27 page)

“She gave birth to a daughter, Ellin. She couldn’t have been happier. She felt her life was now complete, and at last, her knowledge and abilities could be passed on. But in obtaining her most ardent wish, Ailis made a grave mistake. What she didn’t understand was that for a life, a life must be given. When she realized the extent of the pact she had made, she was terrified her daughter would be taken from her and worked frantically to protect her. But that’s not what Aratus wanted. He wanted the life of the very powerful one who would be born generations later, to one of her descendants. The seventh daughter. The one who would have greater powers than any who had come before. Once she understood the full truth, the only thing she could do was try to find a way to stop it. So she spent the rest of her life teaching her daughter, passing on her knowledge and legacy, and searching for a way to stop what was to come.

“Eventually, her daughter thought that she could break the pact by simply never conceiving, thereby breaking the curse. If the legacy ended with her, there would never be a seventh daughter. But it wasn’t that simple. The pact that Ailis had unknowingly made ensured that each generation would bear a daughter until the seventh had been born. If they didn’t choose a mate, one would be…
forced
…on them.

“Tragically, Ellin found this out one night when she was walking home alone after tending to a sick neighbor. A few yards from her house, she was attacked. A highwayman, or outlaw of some sort, most likely. No one ever knew. And I don’t think you need me to provide the details to know what happened.”

Lovell shifts position, crossing his arms on his chest. “After that, Ailis and Ellin realized nothing as simple as spinsterhood would prevent the prophecy from unfolding. So, with the birth of each daughter, the knowledge and legacy was passed on, each generation desperately searching for a way to break the curse. Ironically, your great-great grandmother, Katriona, believed she had finally found it. But her daughter was taken away from her before she had the chance to reveal what she had discovered. Knowing what was to come, she did the only thing she could. She called on the Watchers to ensure one of us would be here when the seventh daughter was born. To teach them what she knew and how to defeat the power that will come to claim their life.”

Lovell steps towards, looking at me gravely. “That’s why I’m here. Because you are the seventh daughter.”

I look at him speechlessly for a moment, my brain trying to wrap itself around what he’s just said. Then I start laughing. Uncontrollable, hysterical laughter. I’m laughing so hard tears are falling from my eyes. Lovell looks at me calmly, waiting for me to stop.

“That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” I finally gasp, collapsing into the chair Lovell had pushed out earlier. “You actually expect me to believe that?”

“Yes. It’s the truth.” His eyes never leave my face.

“OK. Yeah. Whatever. You believe what you want.”

“Kat, this is not a matter of belief. This is a matter of your life or death. You can beat this, but you have to learn how. There’s a lot more to this than just seeing ghosts and spirits. It’s going to get a lot worse.”

I stand up, suddenly angry. “So I see dead people!” I shout, admitting it for the first time in years. “What about it? I’m not the only one. But that doesn’t mean I’m destined to break some ridiculous, ancient curse that makes no sense. And it doesn’t explain who the hell you are!”

“I told you. I’m a Watcher. I can help you and teach you.”

“How?” I say caustically. “By teaching me to break plates? I think I’m quite capable of that on my own.”

“There’s a lot more to it than that,” he says quietly.

I shake my head. “I don’t know what or who you are, but I don’t believe any of it.”

He looks at me in frustration. Then, without saying a word, he turns and looks at the clock on the kitchen wall. Raising his arm, he faces his palm towards it. Abruptly, the hands on the dial start spinning crazily in opposite directions. I can only stare at him speechlessly. He drops his arm and a dinner plate sails off the counter, spinning towards his head. Lifting his other arm, he smashes it into pieces. A framed picture flies off the wall and he spins, planting a solid roundhouse kick right in the middle, shattering the glass and sending it hurtling back into the living room. He turns his gaze outside and the two plastic chairs on the patio shoot across the lawn, smacking into the side of the garage. Then he turns back to me. “There’s a lot more I can do, including preventing a tragic car accident on a deserted mountain road in the midst of a storm caused by a very powerful dark force. And making it look like you just skidded off the road.”

My mouth opens, but nothing comes out.

“Kat, listen to me. This was supposed to be much easier. Your training should have started when you were a child. But I’ve never known anyone who has ignored and suppressed their abilities as strongly as you have. Ironically, it’s that very strength that’s deterred the power waiting to claim you until now. But you have to stop. Aratus is incredibly strong and powerful. And he’s moving in very quickly. Much quicker than I thought he would. He nearly had you on that road four days ago. If I hadn’t been there to stop him…Aratus will stop at nothing to get you. He will use whatever means necessary. Even harming someone close to you. Believe me, he will continue to attack you in whatever way he can until he succeeds. I can protect you as much as possible, but in the end, you’re the only one who can defeat him.”

This is ridiculous. Complete and utter insanity. “And just how do I do that?” I ask, pretending to play along, wondering what he will come up with next.

“By learning. By training. By going to places you never thought possible and discovering what Katriona knew.”

“And I suppose you already know what that is?”

“I know some of it. Not all. But I know ways to find out the rest.” He looks at me imploringly. “Kat, I know this is a lot to take in all at once, and it’s not the way I planned it. I wanted to make this much more gradual. But after what happened…we don’t have time. Believe me,
this is real
. I’m not crazy.”

I know the expression on my face says otherwise.

“I know how hard it’s been,” he continues, speaking quickly. “I know about the call your mother made when you were five and the weeks you spent going through intensive therapy because she was worried about your mental state when you persisted in saying the spirits you saw were real. They
were
real. But what you went through shouldn’t have happened. Your mother didn’t know any better. She, and your grandmother, and your great grandmother should all have inherited the knowledge and gifts of your ancestors, but they lost that chance when Katriona’s daughter was taken from her. So now it’s up to you.”

I stare at him in silence.

“I know about the girl in pink you keep seeing and how much she terrifies you.”

And with that, I react, my expression changing from silent indifference to shock.

“She’s a sylph, working for Aratus. She’s meant to distract you and open a gateway for Aratus. I know about the bird, the one that tried to attack you in the park. It was another of Aratus’ servants. It often acts as his eyes. But you were able to handle that. When the streetlamp exploded, that came from you. It was a result of
your
energy. And that’s only a part of what you can do once you learn to channel it.”

“How do you know about any of these things?” I whisper.

He takes a seat opposite me, looking at me intently. “Because I’m a Watcher. It’s what I do. You need to understand, you and I are connected in a way far more powerful than you can imagine.” He reaches for my hand and the familiar warmth and tremors pulse through me.

I gaze back at him, suddenly appalled. “Are you saying you watch me…can
see me
…
all the time
?” I think about showering, changing clothes, sleeping.
Being alone with Rick
. My face turns red.

“No, not all the time. Only when necessary, which I usually have a good instinct for. Believe me, I allow you your privacy. Especially lately.” There is something in his voice, a note of anger or disapproval, but he doesn’t elaborate.

I’ve had enough. I stand and run my hands through my hair in exasperation. “This is crazy. It really is. And I think you’re nuts. I don’t know what happened on that road four days ago. Or how. Or why. But you stay away from me. Just leave me alone, OK?”

I back away, moving towards the door. Reaching for the handle, I throw it open and run down the steps.

“Kat. Please…” I hear him say, but I keep going, slamming my front door and rushing to my bedroom, collapsing on the bed.

Nothing makes sense and all I want is to put as much distance as possible between him and me.

Rachel and I walk back from the park in silence, relishing the cool of the evening after the scorching afternoon heat. The temperature had climbed well into the nineties and I can still feel the heat radiating off the pavement. The sun is setting, the sky over the mountains glowing yellow, orange and red as the last rays of light shine through the thin line of cirrus clouds to the west.

I feel strangely calm. Since the incomprehensible conversation with Lovell a week ago, I’ve kept to my room, trying to sort out the confusion in my head. Mr. Camenson has allowed me to take as much time as I need after the accident. Which is good, as I don’t think I can stay focused long enough to accomplish anything useful. My mind is a jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions that constantly switch direction. It still hurts to think about Rick. As for Lovell, I have no clue how he knows the things he does, but it’s impossible for me to believe the story about the Watchers, and Aratus, and some ancient pact that I have to pay the price for. Yes, weird things happen to me. But a dark force from some other dimension that wants to take my life? It’s delusional. And I don’t know how he did the other things – the clock, the plate, the picture, the lawn chairs, the incident right before the accident – but there has to be a rational explanation. Or at least a reasonable one. Maybe in time it will make sense, but for now, I just want to stop thinking about any of it.

Rachel had wanted to take me to the movies, but I’d declined. Movie theaters held too many memories. After several other suggestions, ranging from getting frozen lemonade to window-shopping downtown, I’d agreed to a walk around the park. She was convinced the fresh air would do me good.

Walking back now, it appears she was right. I feel better. Good enough to go for a much needed run in the morning. My muscles are beginning to feel stagnant and unused.

Rachel shoves her hands into the pockets of her rolled up cargo shorts and sucks on the corner of her bottom lip. She’s been unusually reserved all evening. I know she wants to say something, but it’s obvious she doesn’t quite know how to go about it. Looking at me speculatively, she asks, “So how’s everything really, Kat?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Fine.”

“You haven’t said much.”

I smile, laughing softly. “You know me. I never say much.”

“Yeah, I know. But, it’s just…you’re quieter than usual.”

“Lost in my own thoughts, I guess.”

Taking a deep breath, she lets it out in a sigh. “Thinking about Rick?”

“No,” I protest, looking at her sharply before relenting. “Well, yeah. But not that much.” I wish, more than anything, that I could tell her. Tell her everything that has been happening. Just unburden myself of all of it.

“You can talk to me, you know.”

I nod, wondering how I could even begin. How do you tell someone, even if it is your best friend, that your hot neighbor has claimed to be a Watcher and that he’s informed you that spirits from another world are attacking you? And that, for some inexplicable reason, you have the power to defeat them, even though you have no idea how? And even though part of you logically knows it is complete nonsense, there is a small part of you that almost believes it, simply because there is no other explanation? Even if I could put it into words, there is no way she will understand. I’ll just sound crazy. And if the situation were reversed, I know I’d feel the same.

“You might think I wouldn’t understand,” she continues, “but I promise you, I would. You can tell me.” She stops walking, looking at me seriously. “
Anything
.”

I am so tempted. I open my mouth and take a deep breath…but I can’t. Maybe someday, but not now. It is just too hard and too complicated. “Thanks, Rach. I know I can. I think I just need to get it clearer in my own head right now.”

She rubs my arm and nods, smiling softly, and starts walking again. I get the feeling she wants to say more. Finally, several steps later, she does. “I just want you to know…I’m really sorry.”

I look at her in confusion. “Sorry? For what?”

“For your pain. Everything with Rick. The accident.”

“Rach, that had absolutely nothing to do with you.”

“I know. But if I hadn’t been sick, and you hadn’t done those deliveries for me, then none of it would have happened. You wouldn’t have been there to see Rick and that chick, whoever she is. And you wouldn’t have driven off and gotten in that accident…”

“Stop,” I interrupt, grabbing her arm. “You have nothing to apologize for. I would have found out eventually, one way or another. I’m just glad it’s out in the open.”

She looks at me for a moment, tears glistening in her eyes. “I talked to Rick in the hospital. After the accident. And, for what it’s worth, I think he’s a good guy. He didn’t mean to hurt you.”

I nod, unable to say anything.

“And I really don’t think there’s been anyone else since you two got together.”

I shrug, part of me agreeing with her, but not yet ready to make that leap of faith, no matter how much I might be tempted.

“He was pretty upset, you know,” she continues. “Blamed himself. He really does care about you. And I think you really care about him. And you just seem so unhappy. Maybe you should just give it a second chance, you know?”

I’m not sure what to say. Because I honestly don’t know how I feel about anything. So I simply reply, “We’ll just see how it goes. “