CHAPTER 29
I kicked my uninjured leg behind me and whirled around, stabbing the wall perpendicular to the window with the sword. The three muses bobbed up and down, as if laughing.
At him, or me I wasn’t sure.
Bull’s eye. He was tacked up by his overcoat.
I had a few advantages over the little guy. I was taller, there was a huge Great Dane outside and I had a really cool sword in my hand.
He, however had one huge advantage over me. Anonymity.
“Who the hell are you and why have you been following me?” I demanded.
He refused to speak. He just shook in his boots, rattling against the blade, then he swallowed hard and something about it struck me as odd. I looked at his neck, his features, his frame. All… dainty. My chest tightened.
The words of Maegan penetrated my head as we stared at each other,
The Seeker of Justice shall cross with one who embodies the old soil, the force of which will have great impact on Geraghtys past, present, and future. The choice she makes shall decide her fate. One path leads to unity; three become one. The other leads to destruction–which shall never be repaired.
This was it. This was the moment Maegan warned about.
“Why won’t you speak?” I asked.
He looked down, his toes barely touching the carpet. I don’t know why, but I plucked the sword from the drywall and lowered it to my side.
He seemed vulnerable, not threatening, standing there in the shadow of the sun.
I sighed, losing patience. “Okay, as you can see, I’ve had a pretty screwed up week. So off with the hat and glasses and let’s talk about what it is you want so you can leave my house and I can get on with my life. And if the sword isn’t a big enough incentive not to try anything that might get your arm lopped off, then take a gander at my boy, Thor.” I pointed out the window.
He peeked, then faced me again.
He looked at the carpet, contemplating his next move. Wisely, he chose the right one.
The sunglasses floated down first. Then the mustache and gloves.
He lifted his head up and slowly removed his hat.
I gasped as a pool of long red hair, the same color as the setting sun, spilled around the shoulders of a female.
I stepped back, staring. Disbelief overwhelmed me.
Her green eyes.
Her red hair.
But it couldn’t be. It was impossible.
I have only seen that shade of hair on one other person.
But how was this possible?
She removed her coat, exposed a cape.
And before she said a word, bells were ringing and somehow my heart knew. Just
knew
.
Geraghtys past, present and future...
Maegan whispered in my mind.
But I would have known. I would have felt it these last few days. All these years.
“Who are you?” I demanded.
The words reached out at me, knotted around me.
“My name is Ivy. I’m your sister.”
The snow was knee deep, my leg hurt, and my sweats were soaked but I was hopped up on painkillers and a huge dose of pissed off so I didn’t care.
“Stacy, wait!” Ivy said behind me, her voice desperate.
I ignored her as I marched into the Geraghty Girls’ House, slammed the door behind me and screamed into the foyer. “Birdie! I need to talk to you right now!”
How could they keep her from me? Why would they keep her from me? A million questions swirled in my head. How old was she? Did my mother know she was pregnant when she left?
“Stacy, don’t, please.” Ivy spoke in a hushed tone. “Listen to me.”
“This is not about you, Ivy. Just back off,” I said.
“No, wait. You don’t understand. They can’t see me,” she squealed in that high-pitched voice that only teenagers can manufacture.
I stopped and turned to her. “What do you mean they can’t see you? Are you invisible? Are you a hallucination?”
At this point, anything was possible.
“Please,” she begged, “come outside.”
“Tell me one good reason right now, Ivy.”
“Mom’s in trouble,” she said quickly. “And Birdie doesn’t know about me.
I wasn’t sure I believed that. Birdie knew everything.
“Please,” she said again.
We locked eyes and as I read her young face, I knew my life was about to change forever.
END
Other Titles by Barbra Annino
Opal Fire -
Book 1 of the Stacy Justice Series, available now
Bloodstone -
Book 2 of the Stacy Justice Series, June 2011
Circles -
short stories, available now
Gnome Wars
- short stories, available spring 2011
About the Author
I live in Illinois but dream of escaping to Hawaii, Arizona, the Caribbean or any place that doesn’t get buried in snow for six months out of the year. I have three Great Danes, a cat and a really cool husband. I have a thing for Snoopy, lemon heads and Monk. I’m not a fan of reality television and I can’t whistle.
Website:
www.barbraannino.com
Blog:
Stacy Justice Gemstone Mysteries
Copyright 2011 Barbra Annino
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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