Page 33 of Anywhere

Was I stupid for not taking him up on the offer to run off? Maybe. Maybe I’d regret it, but it was the right thing to do.

“Yeah.” I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. “I have the feeling the two of you are going to need it. Trouble is on the horizon, Rhys. I feel it in my gut.”

Everyone thought my powers were battle-oriented, but only Rhys knew I had the gift of sight. I’d seen our life together if we’d run. I’d seen the Faction we’d go to and our kids. It wasn’t just a dream. It could’ve been my reality if we’d taken that fork in the road, but to take that road meant many others would die. I couldn’t be that selfish.

Rhys would hate himself because he had no idea all I’d seen since coming home. There was very dark magic at play, and it was blocking a lot of my ability, but one thing was certain, Rhys needed to stay with Rook, and they needed to find their third as soon as possible. They were going to need one another.

“Aye, den let’s git ‘im up ta speed as quick as ya can. He is gonna need ta learn from da best.” Rhys’s intuitive eyes searched my face. “Ya getting’ anytin’ specific? Ya look ta be worryin’.”

“No, not any more than usual. All I know for certain is that you need to take care of one another and find your third and bring her into the fold. You’re all at risk, more than at any other time in history or any other triad. That much, I know for sure. If any more comes to me, you’ll be the first I tell. Tomorrow morning, get him down to training, and I’ll start working with him.”

“I dinnie deserve ta ‘ave ya in me life, Mari. Sleep sweet,” he said.

“Sleep well, Rhys.”

I watched him leave and waited until the door closed before I sagged against the wall, letting free the emotions I’d been holding back. Crawling onto the bed, I buried my head in the pillow and let the tears flow. I’d seen enough of the future to know that we’d just passed a significant fork in the road of my life. I knew what it meant for me and what my future held. Holding myself tightly, I took a moment to grieve all that was lost.

I was so tired. The constant bombardment of images and feelings was sometimes more than I could handle. Everyone thought my drug abuse stemmed from depression, and I let them believe it. It was easier and simpler that way. I didn’t want anyone other than Rhys to know what I could do. My power was coveted, and no one should know what I saw and be able to manipulate it to their will. I was barely strong enough to do what was right all the time.

The demon blood quieted my mind and let me rest. Everyone took for granted the calm of only their voice, of not seeing the world burn or survive. I saw it all, and what I saw terrified me.

I was shaking and would cave again soon. I was too close to my breaking point. There was only so much I could take.

Elewyen

I awoke shivering and with a squeaking in my ear. My eyes snapped open. Barry and I were curled up in the old den I found, but the rumbling in the distance told me a storm was closing in. Barry squeaked again and poked me in the cheek.

“I’za know yer hungry. I’za hungry too.”

I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position and pulled the long cloak open enough to get at my travel bag. I’d taken to lying on it at night, so my little travel companion couldn’t take more than his share of food. Stealing wasn’t something I liked to do, but I was drawn into the last village I passed by the smell of fresh baked goods. There had been a loaf of bread cooling just inside of an open window and a jar of what ended up being raspberry jelly. I felt guilty for stealing them and disappearing into the woods like a terrible thief.

Opening the flap, I pulled off a small chunk of the bread, then used my knife to spread some of the jam on it before cleaning the blade and putting everything away. I took a bite of the bread, and if a squirrel could scowl, Barry did so now. He sat on my knee, his tail twitching as he stared at me.

“Yer pushy, Barry. Naw respectin’ gurly squirrel is gonna wan’ ya wit dat attitude,” I said, breaking off a piece of what I was eating to give him. He snatched it from my fingers and ate it like he’d never eaten in his life. Little bits of jam were smeared all over his face, and I giggled as I watched him try to lick it off.

“At least ya be fun,” I said.

Leaning against the dirt wall, I thought about last night and the strange dreams that had come to me. I was missing someone, but I didn’t know who. I kept reaching for them, but I couldn’t see them clearly, and they would disappear before I could touch them. I was wandering around in a fog, lost and grasping at nothing.

I’d woken up in a cold sweat more than once, and now I wondered if I was coming down with a fever. The thought became more concerning because whenever I woke, I thought I saw someone sitting in the den with me, but his face was out of focus. Was he a spirit trying to communicate with me? Or was he a figment of a fever dream? I had no idea. He kept trying to tell me something, but there was no sound, and then he’d disappear.

At one point, he was drawing in the dirt with his finger when I woke up, but he disappeared as soon as I looked at him. The only solid part of him I’d been able to see before he’d faded was his hair. It was as dark as the night sky.

I gave Barry a little more of the bread, then stuffed the rest in my mouth before he could beg any more of it away from me. I was a sucker for a cute face.

Lightning flashed outside, followed by a loud roll of thunder. I pulled up the hood on my cloak. I didn’t mind harsh elements, but I’d never been a fan of storms. Something caught my eye, and when the lightning flashed again, it revealed lines carved into the dirt floor that hadn’t been there before.

A shiver travelled up my spine. I stared down at the ground where I’d seen the apparition. I’d never known of a spirit that could do more than whisper words, yet there on the dirt floor were two identical letters. I wished I could read to put a name to the letters. I’d seen them in lines of words on the villagers’ wooden signs sticking in the ground. Reaching out, I traced the letters with my finger and memorized the strange message.

* * *

Rook

The door banged open, and I sat up straight, grabbing the knife from under the pillow.

“Holy fuck, Rhys! Do you ever walk into a room peacefully?” I grumbled and flopped back down. “What time is it, anyway?”

“I like dat yer armed. There be hope for ya yet,” he mocked. I was too damn tired to be bothered snipping back. “Ya know, me taught ya might be a wee bit happier ta see me, considerin’ I saved your arse last night, den tucked ya in ta bed like ya were a babe,” Rhys drawled.