Chasing the Prophecy
Page 38
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“I don’t want it,” Rachel said.
“No need to play games. No need for posturing. No need to act brave or defiant. We’re alone here. You may not want to employ Edomic in all the same ways I use it, but you crave the knowledge. You’ve been working hard to attain greater knowledge ever since you discovered your talent. I can feel how you relish the power, how you exult in it. I can feel how you yearn to gain enough mastery to destroy me. I will install means to prevent you, but you’re resourceful. In time you may find a way to thwart my precautions and overthrow me. You’ll certainly have a better chance than any of your comrades.”
Rachel closed her eyes. She tried to wall her thoughts away from him, to close her intellect to his scrutiny.
“We’re in here together,” Maldor chuckled. “It’s too late to deny me admittance. Listen to my offer, and I will depart. I want you to come to me voluntarily. If you do, I will grant absolute, unconditional mercy to ten of your friends. Any you choose to name. Jason, Galloran, Corinne, even Ferrin. All are eligible. Not only will I spare them, but I will ensure that they live out their days in peace and comfort. If Jason so desires, I will even send him back to the Beyond. Perhaps he will have the good sense to stay put this time. Do not respond now. Mull it over, take a few days—weeks, even—without my presence to distract you. Think hard. You cannot imagine all you will learn, all you will achieve, all you will become. Most would offer me anything for this chance. I extend the opportunity to you freely, with generous promises attached. Respond by coming to me. Or by not coming to me. The choice is yours.”
Maldor stood. The sofa unfurled back to its normal shape. Maldor looked around. “You had a pleasant home. I can see the appeal. But your parents have moved on. So should you. Farewell, until we meet again.”
Maldor walked out of the room.
Rachel’s dream mom entered with a tray of cookies. Rachel eyed her numbly. Her dream mom set the tray in front of Rachel on the coffee table. “There we go. Peanut butter, your favorite.”
“You’re not my mom,” Rachel said.
The black eyes betrayed no emotion. “Of course not. Have a cookie.”
“I want to wake up.”
Her dream mom was walking out of the room. “Then have a cookie.”
Rachel was left alone. She selected a peanut butter cookie and held it up. The texture was as she remembered. It was still slightly warm from the oven. She sniffed it suspiciously. The cookie smelled delicious.
She took a bite. Just as the flavor started to hit her tongue, Rachel opened her eyes. She was in her room at Trensicourt, on her wide, soft bed. It had not felt like waking up. Not a bit. Her mind felt equally conscious as when she had sniffed the cookie. There had been no transition. Her eyes had been closed. Now they were open.
By the moonlight spilling through the window, Rachel could see a pair of lurkers beside her bed, like human shadows made three-dimensional. Reflecting none of the silvery glow, the figures were easily the darkest shade of black in the room, the kind of darkness found only in the most obscure reaches of space, beyond all starlight.
Her first impulse was to scream. But Tark and Io were in the next room. If she cried out, they would run in, attack the lurkers, and die. Clenching her teeth, she held the scream inside.
The lurkers were here. They had been here for some time, all during her dream, at least. As far as she understood, they would show no aggression unless provoked. She thought about her charm necklace, the one that helped keep lurkers out of her mind. It was packed away. Lurkers weren’t supposed to be a threat in a city.
She stared at the motionless duo. Jason had told her that standing up to his lurker had helped. She should show no fear. Maybe she could learn something about them. Her hands were clenched into fists, her nails biting into her palms. She tried to calm herself and focus her thoughts.
Why did you invade my dreams? Rachel asked with her mind.
The lurkers remained perfectly still. We are messengers, the lurker on the right replied.
It was a relief to perceive a coherent response. It made them seem less alien. I thought you never came into cities, Rachel conveyed.
Very seldom, the lurker responded.
Maldor insisted, Rachel guessed.
We could not refuse.
Rachel furrowed her brow. Was that really Maldor in my dream? Or just you?
Him through us, the lurker replied. We can reach one another. Even without elaboration, she clearly understood that it referred to the other lurkers. They could keep in mental contact regardless of distance. He was near one of us.
Rachel remembered conversations with Jason and the charm woman. If she wanted to know where these creatures originated, who better to ask? Are you like me? Are you Beyonders?
We are Beyonders. We are not like you.
You’re from a different Beyond. Maldor controls you?
Within limits, by treaty.
Why come to me in a dream? Why not communicate like this? Why show me my house and my parents? Why torture me?
We do not belong in these forms. A dream is more natural to us.
Dreams are more like the place you come from? Rachel guessed.
More than the rest of this. She could feel its disdain.
Are you trying to get away? Rachel asked. Are you prisoners? Are you trying to escape and get home? Is he controlling you?
The other lurker entered the conversation for the first time, the second mind recognizably different. So many questions. Not your concern. Our assignment is complete.
The two lurkers darted across the room and sprang from the window. It was a long drop, but Rachel knew it would be no problem for the torivors. She had seen a torivor leap from the wall of a high ravine and land lightly.
The sudden absence of the torivors was almost more unsettling than their presence. Lurkers had invaded her mind, her dreams. Maldor had just spoken to her. He had spied on her thoughts, her home, her secrets. He had learned the prophecy. And he had made her an offer.
Why hadn’t she worn the charm necklace? Why had she assumed she didn’t need it while at Trensicourt?
Another question loomed, more terrible than all the others. Rachel tried to ignore it, but the sickening concern was inescapable. She wished she could bury the thought, keep it secret, even from herself. Maldor had emphasized that only one path would lead to his destruction, while billions would lead to his triumph. After learning the prophecy, he would be more prepared than ever to stop them. Rachel shivered. What if, by leaving her mind open to him tonight, she had already ruined the possibility of anyone defeating him?
CHAPTER 10
AVENGER
“No need to play games. No need for posturing. No need to act brave or defiant. We’re alone here. You may not want to employ Edomic in all the same ways I use it, but you crave the knowledge. You’ve been working hard to attain greater knowledge ever since you discovered your talent. I can feel how you relish the power, how you exult in it. I can feel how you yearn to gain enough mastery to destroy me. I will install means to prevent you, but you’re resourceful. In time you may find a way to thwart my precautions and overthrow me. You’ll certainly have a better chance than any of your comrades.”
Rachel closed her eyes. She tried to wall her thoughts away from him, to close her intellect to his scrutiny.
“We’re in here together,” Maldor chuckled. “It’s too late to deny me admittance. Listen to my offer, and I will depart. I want you to come to me voluntarily. If you do, I will grant absolute, unconditional mercy to ten of your friends. Any you choose to name. Jason, Galloran, Corinne, even Ferrin. All are eligible. Not only will I spare them, but I will ensure that they live out their days in peace and comfort. If Jason so desires, I will even send him back to the Beyond. Perhaps he will have the good sense to stay put this time. Do not respond now. Mull it over, take a few days—weeks, even—without my presence to distract you. Think hard. You cannot imagine all you will learn, all you will achieve, all you will become. Most would offer me anything for this chance. I extend the opportunity to you freely, with generous promises attached. Respond by coming to me. Or by not coming to me. The choice is yours.”
Maldor stood. The sofa unfurled back to its normal shape. Maldor looked around. “You had a pleasant home. I can see the appeal. But your parents have moved on. So should you. Farewell, until we meet again.”
Maldor walked out of the room.
Rachel’s dream mom entered with a tray of cookies. Rachel eyed her numbly. Her dream mom set the tray in front of Rachel on the coffee table. “There we go. Peanut butter, your favorite.”
“You’re not my mom,” Rachel said.
The black eyes betrayed no emotion. “Of course not. Have a cookie.”
“I want to wake up.”
Her dream mom was walking out of the room. “Then have a cookie.”
Rachel was left alone. She selected a peanut butter cookie and held it up. The texture was as she remembered. It was still slightly warm from the oven. She sniffed it suspiciously. The cookie smelled delicious.
She took a bite. Just as the flavor started to hit her tongue, Rachel opened her eyes. She was in her room at Trensicourt, on her wide, soft bed. It had not felt like waking up. Not a bit. Her mind felt equally conscious as when she had sniffed the cookie. There had been no transition. Her eyes had been closed. Now they were open.
By the moonlight spilling through the window, Rachel could see a pair of lurkers beside her bed, like human shadows made three-dimensional. Reflecting none of the silvery glow, the figures were easily the darkest shade of black in the room, the kind of darkness found only in the most obscure reaches of space, beyond all starlight.
Her first impulse was to scream. But Tark and Io were in the next room. If she cried out, they would run in, attack the lurkers, and die. Clenching her teeth, she held the scream inside.
The lurkers were here. They had been here for some time, all during her dream, at least. As far as she understood, they would show no aggression unless provoked. She thought about her charm necklace, the one that helped keep lurkers out of her mind. It was packed away. Lurkers weren’t supposed to be a threat in a city.
She stared at the motionless duo. Jason had told her that standing up to his lurker had helped. She should show no fear. Maybe she could learn something about them. Her hands were clenched into fists, her nails biting into her palms. She tried to calm herself and focus her thoughts.
Why did you invade my dreams? Rachel asked with her mind.
The lurkers remained perfectly still. We are messengers, the lurker on the right replied.
It was a relief to perceive a coherent response. It made them seem less alien. I thought you never came into cities, Rachel conveyed.
Very seldom, the lurker responded.
Maldor insisted, Rachel guessed.
We could not refuse.
Rachel furrowed her brow. Was that really Maldor in my dream? Or just you?
Him through us, the lurker replied. We can reach one another. Even without elaboration, she clearly understood that it referred to the other lurkers. They could keep in mental contact regardless of distance. He was near one of us.
Rachel remembered conversations with Jason and the charm woman. If she wanted to know where these creatures originated, who better to ask? Are you like me? Are you Beyonders?
We are Beyonders. We are not like you.
You’re from a different Beyond. Maldor controls you?
Within limits, by treaty.
Why come to me in a dream? Why not communicate like this? Why show me my house and my parents? Why torture me?
We do not belong in these forms. A dream is more natural to us.
Dreams are more like the place you come from? Rachel guessed.
More than the rest of this. She could feel its disdain.
Are you trying to get away? Rachel asked. Are you prisoners? Are you trying to escape and get home? Is he controlling you?
The other lurker entered the conversation for the first time, the second mind recognizably different. So many questions. Not your concern. Our assignment is complete.
The two lurkers darted across the room and sprang from the window. It was a long drop, but Rachel knew it would be no problem for the torivors. She had seen a torivor leap from the wall of a high ravine and land lightly.
The sudden absence of the torivors was almost more unsettling than their presence. Lurkers had invaded her mind, her dreams. Maldor had just spoken to her. He had spied on her thoughts, her home, her secrets. He had learned the prophecy. And he had made her an offer.
Why hadn’t she worn the charm necklace? Why had she assumed she didn’t need it while at Trensicourt?
Another question loomed, more terrible than all the others. Rachel tried to ignore it, but the sickening concern was inescapable. She wished she could bury the thought, keep it secret, even from herself. Maldor had emphasized that only one path would lead to his destruction, while billions would lead to his triumph. After learning the prophecy, he would be more prepared than ever to stop them. Rachel shivered. What if, by leaving her mind open to him tonight, she had already ruined the possibility of anyone defeating him?
CHAPTER 10
AVENGER
