The Devil's Third (38 page)

“Amazing,” Tree said, staring at it with an expression of awe on his face.

“Let’s get out of this shit hole.” With the torch in hand, Brayden stomped away, not bothering to see if we were behind him.

The air became thick and heavy with his sudden mood swing. I lifted my eyebrows at Tree. He shrugged and followed Brayden out. Without saying a word, Paige and I tailed them. We walked in silence, lost in our own thoughts. As we wandered down dark narrow passages leading to different chambers, the flames from the tortures flickered, creating eerie shadows on the walls.

When we entered an airy vault with fluted archways and soaring pillars, the sound of water dripping and flapping wings above us caught my attention. I raised my gaze to the high, eroded ceiling and spotted a colony of bats flying about. Paige looked over her shoulder at me and pointed upward, making a face. I smiled and laughed. She swatted at me, and I captured her hand, falling in step beside her, parallel to the subterranean river.

Like a hound dog hot on a trail, Brayden continued leading us back the way we came. He ducked into another passageway of polished white limestone. Without question, we tagged behind in silent single file. Ahead, I could see daylight. We increased our pace and emerged into the main entrance of the cave. A collection of sighs issued from us. Even Brayden appeared relieved. He rubbed his forehead and tossed the torch in a pool of water near the wall of the entrance. We followed suit, making splashing sounds as ours made contact with the water.

Paige yawned. “Let’s go home.”

I slung my arm around her shoulders. “Brilliant idea.”

“I think I’m going to sleep the whole way there,” Tree said, stretching and yawning.

“I think I will, too,” Brayden admitted. “I’m exhausted.”

Together we stepped out into the sunshine and were met with applause. Dumbfounded, we stood squinting until our eyes adjusted to the natural light. A hundred or so Africans milled among the age-old trees, huge boulders, and waited along the bank of the river inside the canyon. They clapped their hands and cheered. We glanced at each other in confused bewilderment, but then something caught Tree’s eye. He looked past me, his brows furrowed. I turned and saw a bald African man wearing a grass skirt and a string of bones around his neck similar to the ones hanging from black beads off his earlobes. He headed toward us. Thick white paint covered his large forehead, around his eyes and the upper part of his cheeks. The pigment broke into four lines curving around to the hollow part of his face. The village’s witch doctor was my best bet.

“The one whom walks in the light,” he said, his eyes fixed on Tree, disregarding the rest of us. He took hold of Tree’s hands, causing him to take a step back in surprise. Then he kissed them before letting go. “My name is Baako, and my people thank you. They want to hold a feast in your honor.”

Tree shifted his weight and adjusted his beanie hat. The corner of his mouth twitched into a nervous smile. “Um, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but thank you for the offer.”

“It was because of you,” Baako said, “Michael came here, causing the beast to flee our land.” He lifted the necklace of bones over his head and held it up to Tree. “Please, take this as a token of our appreciation.” He dangled it in Tree’s face.

 Tree looked at Paige as if seeking her guidance. She nodded and gestured for him to lower his head. With a wary expression, he bent his head, allowing the witch doctor to place the strand around his neck.

“Wonderful,” Baako said with a grin, revealing yellowed teeth. “Oh, look. David.” He turned to shake hands with David, whom I was glad to see and hoped we could be on our way.

“Hey,” Tree said, his voice low and guarded, pulling my attention away from David onto him. “Do I need to give him something in exchange?”

“What?” Paige said, stepping closer to him.

“Do I need to give the African dude something for giving me this?” He pinched the necklace between his finger and thumb and shook it, rattling the bones.

“Why would you?” Brayden asked.

Paige covered her mouth and giggled.

“I don’t think so,” I answered.

“But you don’t know for sure?” Tree asked, throwing nervous glances past me.

“I don’t,” I admitted.

“What are you talking about?” Brayden demanded.

“Tree is referring to some Native Americans,” Paige told him. “If a gift is presented to you, you have to give one in return; otherwise, it’s considered rude and insulting.”

“I don’t want to insult them,” Tree said in a high whisper.

“David says dat he must take you back at once,” Baako informed us.

“They need sleep and to return to America,” David said, joining us. “We must not delay their journey home any longer.”

“David’s right,” I said. “Our dear friend is in the hospital, and we need to get back as soon as possible.”

“Please,” Baako said, “let us give you food to take with you.”

“Your offer is very kind,” I said. “We would be honored.”

“Thank you,” Baako replied, smiling. “The honor is mine.” He turned to lead us back to his village when Tree placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

“I would like to give you something in return for your necklace,” Tree told him.

Baako waved his hand to show it wasn’t necessary, but Tree insisted. Reaching underneath his T-shirt he pulled out a silver necklace with a charm on it. I recognized it right away. Thor’s hammer. Paige drew a sharp breath but didn’t say anything. She watched in stunned silence as Tree took it off and placed it over Baako’s head. “This is for luck and protection,” Tree told the witch doctor.

Baako took Tree’s hands and kissed them again. “Thank you. I will treasure it and keep it close to my heart always. And know, one who walks in the light, you are always welcomed here.”

Tree’s cheeks reddened, mixing with the purplish bruise, making it appear darker. We followed Baako to his village, his people smiling, animatedly talking to Tree, treating him like a celebrity. Brayden, Paige, and I stood on the sidelines, watching Tree handle his newfound fame with grace, even though I could tell by his glances our way how uncomfortable he was with all this attention. I gave him an encouraging smile as the events of the past week swirled in my head like a slow moving tornado. I was beat, and my sluggish thoughts were becoming a byproduct of fatigue. Snippets of the prior affairs flashed in my mind: Paige’s letter, tracking her, Ameerah, Jade, discovering Carrie was once a witch in a prior life, Paige going on a journey with her guide Moradin, Tree becoming a light walker, the Devil’s third, and Anwar.

My chaotic thoughts halted. They reversed to the first day I met Anwar in 1856 when my father brought him to our farm after Anwar saved my brother from being beaten to death. And for the rest of the morning, I thought about Anwar and nothing else, until I was able to close my eyes on the way to the airport and fall into the dark chasm of sleep.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Paige

Our return flight to Portland was uneventful. We slept most of the way and ate when we were roused from sleep. We didn’t talk much until the drive back to Astoria when we were alert and rested. It was early afternoon. The sky was dark and cloudy, the cool air feeling damp with a thick smell of rain filling our nostrils.
Welcome back to Oregon
. I couldn’t help but smile to be home again. I loved this state. I loved the plush greenery, the woods, the mountains, the ocean . . . all of it. I couldn’t wait to see Carrie and was on the edge of my seat waiting to learn what Tree found out while he used Brayden’s phone to call her mom. I tried to eavesdrop on his conversation, but Nathan was talking to me about making a trip to visit Pip, and I didn’t want to be rude.

“Well?” I asked, turning in the front seat to look at Tree. He just finished chatting with Carrie’s mom and from what I gathered half listening to his discussion, her recovery was fantastic.

“She’s awake,” he said, grinning. “And she’s doing awesome.”

“Yay. We must see her now,” I said, bouncing in my seat.

“Yes,” Brayden said, sighing with relief.

“What wonderful news,” Nathan replied, smiling at me. “We’ll go there right now.”

“We can’t,” Tree said, frowning. “They’re starting to run some test, so we’re not allowed to visit until tomorrow morning at eight.”

I slouched in my seat. “That sucks.” I turned to face Tree, when a thought occurred to me. “Do you think she remembers she was a witch in a previous life and what was told to her when she was in the other realm?”

Tree shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m anxious to find out.”

“Me, too,” I said.

Brayden sat up and looked at Tree. “I can’t believe you’re on the path to become a light walker, and Carrie is a witch.”

“Neither can I,” Tree admitted. “I still can’t fully wrap my head around it.”

“Michael said you’d learn more about it later,” I reminded him. “I wonder how though?”

“I don’t know,” Tree mumbled, staring out the window.

“I was surprised when you gave Baako your necklace,” I told him. Tree had that charm for years. He bought it at some mystical shop when he and his family went to Germany to visit relatives, and since then he never went without it.

He fingered the bones around his neck and wrinkled his nose. “I really don’t know how I feel about this, but I thought the trade was the right thing to do.”

Nathan glanced at me. “I remember something I forgot to fill you in on.”

The tone of his voice bordered on cautious, which made my stomach drop. Brayden sat up, his jaw clenched, eyes hard. If Nathan said the wrong thing, I knew Brayden would pounce on him. Tree placed his hand on Brayden’s arm and shook his head when Brayden shifted his gaze on Tree. I tore my eyes off them to focus on Nathan.

“Jade told me to tell you,” Nathan went on, “your guide Moradin will be taking you on a journey to different realms.”

“What?” I wasn’t sure I heard him right. My guide? And did he just say his name was . . . My mind went totally blank. All I could do was blink.

“Your guide is named Moradin,” Nathan stated once again. “His task will be to lead you into new domains so you’ll get a better understanding of yourself and how things work. You’ll be going through an orientation, and she said it has already been decided by the council.”

“Council?” Brayden blurted. “Who the hell are they?”

“I think I know,” Tree said. “But I’m not sure.” He screwed up his face and rubbed his forehead in slow circles like he was trying to loosen the information from his brain’s tight grip.

“Do tell,” Brayden said, crossing his arms.

Tree dropped his hands and sighed. “The council is a group of highly evolved souls. They’ve been associated with Paige at one point or another. And I wanna say, like all of us, before Paige incarnated, she sat with them to review her life chart.”

“How do you know this?” Brayden asked.

Tree shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s weird. It’s like since we met Michael, and he told me about me aiming to be a light walker, things are coming to me in little spurts. But then again, it could be all bullshit. However, I feel what I just told you is correct.”

“When?” I asked Nathan, my nerves on the verge of fraying. I didn’t know if I was ready for this. I mean, it would be cool to meet my guide and travel through Wonderland like Alice, but I had a lot on my plate as it was. How much more did these people think I could handle? I had the sudden urge to tell them to all leave me alone for a while. I wanted a halfway normal existence with Nathan. Sure I would protect humanity against the dark spirits, but in the interim I wanted to enjoy life as well. Were those things too much to ask?

“She didn’t say,” Nathan answered, pulling up to Tree’s house and parking on the side of the road.

“Can you and Tree go inside for a few minutes while I talk to Paige, I need a minute alone with her,” Brayden said.

“It’s fine,” I told Nathan when I saw the hesitation in his eyes. He slowly nodded and exited the Jeep with Tree. I climbed to the backseat to be closer to Brayden. “What’s up? Are you okay?”

Brayden shook his head. “No, I’m not.”

I placed my hand over his. “Tell me.”

“I know you don’t want to hear or believe it,” he said, covering my hand with his. “I still feel we belong together.”

“Brayden,” I began, but he cut me off.

“We do, Paige. Look at the whole picture. You, Carrie and Tree are the Devil’s third, and I fit in there somewhere. There was a reason all four of us grew up together and became as close as we have. And don’t you think it’s weird you and I were both chosen for immortality?”

“I do,” I admitted. “I’d asked Anwar when he told Nathan and me about you being marked if it was normal–two people who grew up together having the opportunity to become immortal.”

“What did he say?”

“He said it happens, but it’s rare.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.”

“What?”

“It’s rare, so there’s a reason behind it.” He rubbed his forehead and shook his head. “I don’t believe in coincidence, Paige,” he said, peeking from beneath his dark eyelashes. “There’s no such thing.”

I didn’t say anything, because honestly I didn’t either.

“Anwar is dead,” his voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “A few days ago he was talking crazy stuff like he willed his house in Seattle to me . . . and his Hummer. I didn’t take him seriously because I knew even if he were to kill himself, he’d still be bound to the blood oath until Bael released him.”

“What do you think Anwar would have done if Michael hadn’t saved him?”

“I have no idea, but I’m sure he would have found a way. He has tons of journals dating back hundreds of years of his experiences and what he’s learned from them. I’m sure some are packed full of ancient rituals and magic. Hopefully, they’ll be in his house, because I would love to get my hands on them.”

I gave him a wary look. “Brayden, it makes me uncomfortable to know you plan to be the most powerful immortal and reign over our world. Maybe you having those journals wouldn’t be such a good thing.”