Chapter 31-1

Jam

I know it was hard for my sister to understand. I can’t say I fully understood everything myself. I had a strong sense that my path was chosen, just like our paths were altered the day the canisters fell.

My path was to die.

TAKING A MOMENT BEFORE I ANSWERED

“I believe so.”

Angie sent me a pained look. She pulled her hand from mine and pressed it to her chest. I watched her grope for what turned out to be a small pouch around her neck. She yanked the pouch out from underneath her shirt. She opened it and I saw her remove a bushberry. She shoved yet another of the small berries into her mouth.

My heart ached. My words were bringing on another one of Angie’s panic attacks. I hated myself for worrying my sister. I wasn’t going to be here much longer. It was time she faced facts.

I gave Angie another moment or two to get herself back in control. Then I continued. “As I told Em, I believe I can do more good-”

“By condemning yourself to the chaos of the Far Beyond?”

I nodded.

“I won’t accept that! Let Donahue-”

“Ange…please…it won’t be forever.”

“What do you mean? No one has been reborn from the Far Beyond for over seven years.”

“The rumour-”

Angie’s jaw sagged. I saw her eyes widen. She looked at me with a mixture of horror and hope. “You’re saying that Char could be right? That the rumour is true? A child will be born?”

I took a breath. “Children, Ange, a new breed of children.”

Angie put a hand to her throat. I watched as she dug her fingers and thumb into the flesh at the bottom of her collarbones.

“No!” She cried and shook her head violently. “Char is wrong. What will come back are not children. They’re-they’re-”

“I know what will come back, Angie, and Jake’s only showing you one half. There’s a whole other side. A side that’s he’s keeping hidden. Or maybe he’s incapable of seeing it. It’s a side that will triumph. A side that is my destiny to help lead to victory.”

Angie gasped. “You can see the future?”

I felt myself shake to my very core. Until now I hadn’t realized what my mother had been writing in my mind for the past several weeks. I now knew. I reached for the hand that Angie still had around her neck.

“Angie,” I said softly. “I see more than the future and it encompasses more than just the Far Beyond.”

“More?”

My mother’s written words were falling into place. ‘The Oracle of Death must die so The Life Sage can live’.

I nodded.

I watched as Angie rolled the bushberries around her mouth again. She took several deep breathes. I knew her mind was working. She didn’t appear like she was going to let me in on what she was thinking though so I posed a question of my own. “Did you tell Em about Carter?” I asked.

Angie froze, then she visibly shook herself. I could tell she was glad that I’d changed the subject. Besides I wanted to know how her earlier conversation with our sister had gone.

Angie gave me a nod. She turned her head back to Carter. “I had too. Whatever happened to Carter wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t come back over the trench for me.”

“How did she take the news?”

Angie squeezed my hand. “She seemed surprised that he risked his life. I don’t think she completely believed what I’d said was true.”

“That doesn’t sound like Em.”

Angie pressed her lips together. She slipped her hand from mine and placed it…almost affectionately against Carter’s shoulder.

“I don’t understand anything about Em in the last few days. She’s changed dramatically since the Prayers attack. She’s not talking to me, you…Carter.”

My heart felt heavy again. “You told her Jake says Carter is going to die?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of a reaction did you get?”

Angie shook her head. She turned back to me. I saw sadness in her eyes. “She said Jake had a right to retribution.”

I couldn’t help the shock that crossed my face. “Retribution?”

Angie shook her head again. “I know,” she said. “I don’t understand either.”

Movement caught my attention and I picked up the smell of another bushberry. Angie glanced up and I turned to see Stevron entering the tent. He had the girl, Mylane with him.

“Jam, I need you to do something very important for me.”

“Anything.”

“Go back to the campfire and make sure no one leaves. It’s imperative that no one comes near Carter.”

Stevron’s request wasn’t what I’d been expecting. I frowned. “What?”

I saw Angie and Stevron exchange a glance.

Terror grabbed my gut. “Angie you’re not going to try and contact Jake, are you?”

My sister took a deep breath and I noticed that the fine lines around her mouth had faded even more in the short time we had been talking. She got easily to her feet.

“Ange no!” I cried. “Don’t be making any deals with Jake. He can’t be trusted.”

Angie nodded. “I know that,” she said softly, “and don’t worry, the last thing I want is for Jake to know anything about what’s going on.”

I didn’t understand. My eyes narrowed on Stevron as Angie helped me to my feet. “Stevron, don’t you dare let her-”

Stevron gave me a half smile. “I won’t. Angie’s perfectly safe, but it’s time we saved Carter.”

“Please, Benjamin,” Angie said, “trust Stevron.”

My heart skipped a beat. Angie never called me Benjamin, not even when we’d been kids. In fact Angie had been the one who started my nickname Jam. As a toddler, just learning to speak, she’d called me Jammy. “How?” I asked. “How will you save him?”

I saw the look of regret in Stevron’s eyes. “I can’t tell you.”

“Then I’m not going anywhere,” I demanded. “I won’t allow my sister to sacrifice herself.”

“Angie doesn’t have a part in this.” Stevron reached out and put a hand to my shoulder. “I promise you.”

I still wasn’t okay with any of this. My gut told me whatever Stevron had planned, it was dangerous, maybe even deadly. I didn’t like the thought of Stevron risking Carter’s life. But what choice did I have? If I stopped Stevron from trying, Carter would die.

I slowly nodded. My knees locked for a moment as I straightened up. I shifted my weight. “Anything else?” I said before turning to go back to the others surrounding the campfire.

Stevron’s voice echoed through the darkening night. “Yeah, keep a close eye on Em, and don’t let Char or Donahue out of your sight.”

I frowned. I could understand needing to keep an eye on Char, but also Donahue? Instead of voicing my confusion I made my way back deciding that I would heed Stevron’s words.

©Legend of the Sapphyre Wings by Janet Merritt