Recruits (Keeper of the Water Book 2) (8 page)

“You don’t have to lie to me, too. He
told me
who he really was as he was dying,” I say. “Well, he started to…”

“And you don’t remember anything else about him from the past?”

I shake my head. “Should I?”

Celeste shrugs her shoulders. “It’s probably better if you remember on your own.”

I unleash my frustration with a sound that’s a combination of a groan and a growl. I shake my head, refusing to accept this response any longer.

“I’m done taking that as an answer,” I say. “I remember
enough
to let Cassie know a few secrets unless you don’t start talking.”

I
do
recall that going against my Keeper’s orders is a big no-no and despite my anger, I would never tell Cassie about the past. But apparently the threat is enough to get Celeste talking.

“I never knew your father… before… but I knew
of
him,” she explains. “One of the only times I remember being upset as Keeper was when I learned of two Amazons intervening in the business of another tribe to save the lives of two explorers. It’s always been vital for us to maintain safety of the water by staying secretive and not getting involved in the business of others when it puts us at risk.

“Your father was one of those explorers saved and he tracked his rescuers all the way to the outskirts of our camp. Because he discovered our whereabouts, some of the Amazons suggested having him killed. I have to admit that I considered it. But my protectors who dealt directly with the two men deemed them not to be a threat, especially since they decided to live nearby instead of go home to tell the world of our existence. In fact, your father was so appreciative for saving their lives that he pledged his own life to his rescuers. He remained living in a harsh environment downriver for many years and never once entered the Amazon camp.

“He led a quiet life and had no idea of the turmoil happening in our tribe. Once you and Cassie drank enough water to become very young, we left. It wasn’t even my idea to have your father return to the human world to watch over you and Cassie. I had my own doubts about it when he showed up but ultimately respected the decision of the remaining Amazons to give us extra protection.”

“Extra protection? Like the way you had the pilot waiting nearby to help us out of trouble?” I ask.

“The way
I
had her?” Celeste asks with a knowing smile that irritates me. “I know you’ve been remembering more of the past but there’s still a lot left. Regardless, there’s no way I could
stop
the recruit from saying close to us… especially
you
.”

“The recruit?”

“You’ll remember that relationship with her one day, I promise,” Celeste says. “We never forget being a recruit or choosing one.”

The idea seems vaguely familiar and I immediately think of red-haired Anne, of the relationship I had with her and how she referred to me as recruit. The bond I had with Anne was strong and I wonder how many more of those special connections I formed with the Amazons.

I still stare toward Jack and Cassie but my mind is on a totally different thought. Celeste misinterprets my silence.

“I know a lot of strange things have been happening but your father rising from the dead isn’t one of them. Losing someone is never an easy thing. You might think I’m heartless because of the way I move on from loss but I’ve had centuries to get used to loss,” Celeste says.

I guess this is Celeste’s way of trying to console me but she seemed much better at this when she was the Keeper. In fact, her words do nothing but annoy me further. I want to snap at her, just like Cassie so often does. I don’t want to just ‘get over’ my father’s death as she suggests. To avoid an argument, I pick up the payphone as a car pulls to a stop in front of Jack and Cassie.

My heart skips a beat. It’s the police.

“Oh, sh- ” Celeste whispers when the cop puts his lights on, the reds and blues flashing brightly against the backdrop of the night.

I start to walk toward them but Celeste grabs my arm and pulls me into a dark area next to the phones. Once in the shadows, we’re out of the officer’s line of sight though he’s totally focused on Jack and Cassie as he gets out of his cruiser.

“We’re
not
going to just leave them here,” I hiss at Celeste, afraid that she’s ready to turn her back on them, too.

“I
know
that,” she whispers. She pulls up her pant leg and I’m surprised to see some sort of sheath strapped to her leg. She removes a large knife. I’m almost afraid to ask what she has in mind. But this time, it’s my turn to grab her arm and stop her just before she’s about to rush into action.

“It’s a little late to be out joyriding, isn’t it?” the cop asks loudly.

The officer looks like he’s hiding an inner-tube beneath his uniform, looking especially out of shape next to Jack, who so obviously works out. The cop takes out his nightstick and I have to hold back Celeste again.

“We’re not joyriding, sir,” Jack says respectfully. “We’re on our way to Florida.”

“You’re a
long
way off, boy,” the cop says.

“Yes, sir, I realize that. I’m scheduled to fight at a mixed martial arts event there,” Jack says.

I suddenly feel guilty for not knowing this. We’ve been driving with him for hours and I never once asked where he was headed when he stopped to save Cassie. He’d mentioned an upcoming fight but I was so engrossed in our situation that I never once asked about his ultimate destination.

Yet another reason I’m sure he’s going to drop us like a hot potato at his first possible chance…

“A fighter, huh?” the cop asks, slapping the nightstick against his open palm. “You a tough guy?”

“No, sir, only in the cage,” Jack says calmly.

“Why you being so quiet, missy?” the officer asks, turning to Cassie. “Cat got your tongue?”

Cassie shakes her head.

“You look a little young, missy,” the officer says. “Think I’m gonna need to see some IDs.”

“Is that really necessary, officer? We were only stopping for a few minutes to stretch our legs,” Jack says. “We’ll just get going now.”

Cassie remains still even as Jack turns to get back into his car. He doesn’t get very far.

“Whoa, hold it right there, sport,” the officer says. He slowly circles to the back of the car and looks down at the clunker’s license plate. “Pennsylvania? Exactly where you coming from? I heard on the news ‘bout some strange things happening up there in Pennsylvania, some car chases and plane rides and stuff. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Pennsylvania is a big state to make such accusations,” I say, finally emerging from the shadows. I can’t listen to this any longer.

The officer spins around and pulls his gun, surprised to see Celeste and I standing there. Luckily, Celeste no longer holds the knife or we might be in trouble… or the cop might be.

“There’s no need for that weapon, officer,” Celeste says, her voice low and sultry. It’s a tone I’ve never heard her use and the cop instantly holsters his gun.

“Sorry, ma’am, these parts can be dangerous at this time of the night,” the officer says. “I was just making sure the young lady was okay.”

He stares directly into Celeste’s dark eyes, mesmerized by her beauty. At first, I wonder if she’s using an unknown Amazon power to cast some sort of spell on the cop, to manipulate him into doing whatever she says. But such a power does not feel familiar to me and I remind myself that Celeste
is
really Cleopatra, history’s most well-known seductress. She’s always possessed an ability to control men and some things apparently haven’t changed.

“Yes, we’re all fine. I’m just thankful there are brave law-enforcing men looking out for my well-being,” she says with a smile.

“Just doing my job, ma’am. Danger comes with the territory,” he says. “Ya’ll have a nice night now.”

The officer walks back toward his car, stumbling over a crack in the cement since he doesn’t take his eyes off Celeste the entire time. She really is that beautiful, though a part of me wants to laugh at her for acting so feminine. I’m sure she’d prefer fighting to flirting but I’m glad she controlled herself and dealt with the situation peacefully. We’ve already caused enough damage for one day and don’t need Jack asking any
more
questions.

The police cruiser drives away but not before the officer smiles one last time and waves to Celeste, who dutifully waves back. The smile on her face is forced. I can see her jaw muscles tensed from clenching her teeth so hard. I want to tease her about this display of girlishness but it might not be so good for my health.

“They’re too easy sometimes,” she whispers, shaking her head in disgust.

“Thanks for getting him off my back,” Jack says, grimacing in pain. “I was afraid he might notice the blood on my shirt if he stayed around longer.”

Celeste nods. Jack’s black T-shirt hides the red stains but the gleaming wetness seems to have spread over the hours. I try to get a closer look at his wound but he waves me off.

“I’m okay, let’s just get going before any more cops show up. Maybe we should put a few more states between us and the Poconos before stopping again,” Jack says.

“Are you certain you want us to come?” I ask, though I’m afraid of the answer and should probably keep my mouth shut.

“Of course,” Jack says though his voice is much lower than usual, downtrodden. It doesn’t sound like he wants us there at all but it’s not like we’re in a position to look for another ride.

Cassie and Celeste climb into the backseat while Jack gingerly steps to the driver’s door, stumbling as he clutches his side.

“Do you want me to drive for a while so you can rest?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “This is the easy part. If I can’t drive, how can I possibly think I’ll win my fight in Florida?”

He climbs in and starts the car so I sit in the passenger seat. Within minutes, we’re back on the highway. When I look at Jack again, his skin seems to have grown paler, a film of sweat now covering his face. He does not look strong at all.

“I know your MMA career is important to you but maybe we should stop at a hospital and have that checked out,” I tell him. “At the very least, maybe you shouldn’t go through with your fight.”

Jack remains staring forward, steeliness replacing the pain in his eyes. “I
need
to fight.”

“We
need
to fight,” Anne tells the crowd of Amazons.

She stands inside the circle of women, stepping into the light of the moon. I’m once again in the center of the group with the Keeper, but this time I step out of the ankle-deep bright blue water. This isn’t the same place where my recruiters first brought me but it’s still familiar, still a place where I’ve recently been. We’re standing around the small water source in the middle of the Poconos, though this wasn’t my home back at this time. Instead, it’s the spot where our tribe decided to rest during our long journey south. I also remember that the Keeper and the woman I know as Cassie had disagreed about the safety of stopping here.

Apparently Cassie was correct about the danger. Flanked by the rest of her Queen Clan, Cassie and the others shoot dirty looks in my direction, as if
I’m
to blame for this area of the mountains not totally deserted. Even back then, I could sense Cassie’s jealousy of me, the way she tried to crush anybody who got in the way of what she wanted.

Anne was just out on patrol, canvassing the surrounding area to search for any sign of possible intruders to our camp. As her recruit, I was supposed to go with her; guard duty often fell upon the junior members of the tribe. But once the Keeper poured her liquid into the small spring – thus transforming its glowing brightness – she beckoned me to join her. Anne was happy for me and told me how rare it was for the Keeper to request one-on-one time with
any
of the Amazons, let alone a lowly recruit. Anne had not been the least bit jealous and told me to ‘do her proud’ before she grabbed her long spear and ran off into the night.

Cassie and the rest of her crew were a different story. They stared at me with intense anger the entire time I stood beside the Keeper, especially when she requested that I join her within the spring. I had never seen any other Amazon step into the water before and based upon Cassie’s glare, I could tell it must be a rare honor. I wasn’t quite sure I’d be able to focus on anything the Keeper said with all the hatred aimed toward me.

But then I took my first step into the spring and everything around me seemed to vanish. A rush of cold ran up my legs and throughout the rest of my body but it wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, it was the most refreshing sensation I ever experienced: the air smelled fresher, I could see things clearer, every part of the world around me felt alive. I suddenly understood how this special water could truly be the water of life, why the Keeper never wanted to step out of it. When I looked at the Keeper, she appeared brighter than I ever saw a person, youthful and alive and beautiful rather than old and wrinkled. I never saw her this way when standing outside of the water.

I could
see
the way the water and the Keeper were connected, the way one couldn’t survive without the other.

“You glow brightly,” the Keeper whispers. Her lips barely move, she barely makes a sound, but I hear her loud and clear. Still, I’m so overwhelmed by the sensation that I don’t have a single word to reply. The Keeper expects nothing from me, though, and keeps her words to a perfect minimum. “I could see the light of your life shining brightly
before
you stepped in. I have no doubt that you
could
replace me one day. I can’t say that about many others.”

The passage of time is difficult to gauge from within the water, as is what happens around us. When the Keeper finally asks me to step back onto the land, I look up at the night sky and see the moon in a totally different place. Hours have passed and many surrounding Amazons are sitting or have moved. Cassie, however, remains in the same spot and wears the same angry expression.

Anne is now in front of the water, telling the Keeper that a fight is imminent.

“Who do we have to fight?” I ask in a fog.

“The
troops,
” Anne says. “They have us completely surrounded and they don’t appear friendly.”

“Troops? What troops?” I ask.

“The ones wearing the gray uniforms. Those are the bad ones,” Anne answers.

I still don’t know whom she means but Cassie jumps in before I can ask anything else.

“I
knew
this was a bad place to rest,” she says snidely. “This crude country is still in the middle of a war trying to destroy itself. It was foolish to assume this area wouldn’t be teeming with soldiers.”

Anne chuckles, clearly trying to instigate an argument with Cassie and the Queen Clan. At this moment, my fondness for Anne grows even stronger.

“What’s the matter, Queenie? Afraid of a little action?”

Cassie’s face burns bright red and she looks at Anne with the utmost contempt, even more disdain than she usually reserves for me. I expect Cassie to explode but she seems to catch herself before becoming
too
upset. When she responds, she does so through clenched teeth.

“I am afraid of
nothing
,” Cassie responds with a sharpness in her voice to rival any Amazonian weapon. “Sometimes fighting is not the best option, not that I expect someone like
you
to understand that. I guess that’s what happens when we let the riff-raff join us…”

The Keeper takes a step out of the water, which instantly loses some of its intense brightness.

“In times of grave danger, we must band together, not fall apart,” the old woman warns. “And I believe that some of us…” The Keeper stares directly at Cassie while saying this part. “…don’t give Anne enough credit for what she’s dealt with in her past. Few women could’ve survived – let alone thrived – in such a dangerous occupation. She has proven that she’s turned this toughness to the good of our cause; her fighting ability is invaluable for situations like this.”

Cassie snorts with obvious disagreement. But the Keeper pays no attention to her as she continues to address the rest of the Amazons, who no longer rest. The women tighten their ranks around us.

“But I agree that we must try at all costs to avoid a confrontation with these horrible men, regardless of the wretched ideals for which they’re fighting. Men wage wars with guns now, which is different from the past, more dangerous for us than ever. Anne, did these men see you on patrol?”

“Of course not, my Keeper,” the redhead answers.

“Then we will hide,” the Keeper says. “There are plenty of trees that we can climb, plenty of foliage to disappear within. The soldiers will eventually pass through this area and we will leave when it is clear.”

Anne frowns, disappointed, but does not argue. She
does
interject before the rest of the Amazons and the Keeper begin to look for hiding spots.

“I propose that my recruit becomes a full-fledged Amazon immediately,” Anne says. “I understand that hiding is our best option but if we
do
have to fight for some reason, it’s best if Sacajawea is as strong as the rest of us.”

“Please be serious,” Cassie intercedes, receiving nods of agreement from the rest of her Queen Clan. “She hasn’t been with us nearly long enough to gain our trust, nor has she proven her worthiness to become an Amazon. Recruits normally wait years, or at the very least months, to become accepted.
She
has only been with us a few days; she hasn’t earned the privilege of joining the tribe.”

Cassie turns to her clan for agreement and my second recruiter – the woman with the twin short swords – steps forward.

“She has denied us in the past. I didn’t know we’re
begging
women to join us and not making them pay their dues first,” she says.

The Keeper looks toward me but I avoid eye contact, ashamed. The Queen Clan is right about one thing: I
did
deny joining the Amazons in the past and for that I will forever be regretful. I could explain to them the shame I feel – or let them know that my loyalty will never again waver – but instead I remain silent. A part of me agrees with the Queen Clan that I should be punished for my previous transgression.

“I can tell much about a woman the first time she’s brought here – or
shows up
here. I can tell who’s ruthless and a natural born leader…” the Keeper says, looking toward Cassie. “…I can tell who’s feisty and good in a scrum…” she says looking toward Anne. “…I can tell who’s kindly and intellectual, a real thinker…” she says, turning to a fair-skinned Amazon with short curls of brown hair. This woman looks at me and smiles; she’s obviously
not
part of the Queen Clan and I make a mental note to get to know her better.

“…and I can tell who’s strong and brave and a true woman of nature,” the Keeper says, finally turning to me. “No matter how much longer I take getting to know our new recruit, these things won’t change about her. For that reason, we will perform the initiation ceremony right now.”

“Yes, my Keeper,” echoes the Amazons in unison.

Every woman joins hands and they form a tight circle around the bright blue water. The Keeper holds hands with Cassie while Anne holds hands with my other recruiter, who holds hands with the kindly intellectual woman and so on. Seeing some of the women linked together makes me realize there must be some sort of predetermined order rather than simple preference. Once Anne takes my hand in her other, we’re all joined together. I already feel a closeness with the tribe, a palpable energy coursing between us. I want to know exactly what’s about to happen – my pulse races with excitement – but I realize it’s best to stay quiet and patiently await the experience.

The Keeper kneels within the tiny spring that glows brightly. She touches the tip of a single finger into the water, which immediately begins to swirl around, the colors appearing to spark as though lightning was flashing in the spring. The Keeper whispers incantations causing the water to swirl even faster and glow even brighter. Finally she removes her finger and stops whispering though the tiny spring remains just as tumultuous.

“A link in our chain of life has been missing for several years but now our circle will be complete with Sacajawea, who has been accepted into our tribe by every Amazon. She will be linked most closely to her mentor, who will teach her our ways with the help of the entire group,” the Keeper says.

The Keeper unlinks with Cassie and cups her hands, dipping them into the spring and scooping out a large handful of bright blue water. She turns to Cassie, who unlinks with the next Amazon before cupping her own hands. The Keeper slowly transfers the water into Cassie’s hands. Cassie turns to the next Amazon and repeats the process. The water is passed around the circle in the same manner, though some women move a bit more slowly, carefully. It doesn’t surprise me that a few members of the Queen Clan are a bit more careless and don’t seem to mind when some of the water splashes back down into the spring.

By the time Anne releases my hand and accepts the water, half of it is gone. But that doesn’t seem to be a problem.

“Cup your hands together,” she whispers to me after I spend a few long seconds staring at her in awe, dumbfounded and unsure what to do. There are a few light-hearted chuckles amongst the tribe though I can sense glares coming from the Queen Clan. I ignore all of that and focus on Anne, who speaks louder once my hands are cupped.

“As your mentor, it is my duty to teach you our ways. You must vow to protect the Keeper and the water at all costs, even if it means sacrificing your own life or the lives of your sister Amazons. The Keeper and the water
must
remain safe,
must
be the most important focus of your existence, followed thereafter by every Amazon who has come before you,” Anne says. “Do you make this solemn vow?”

Though I’m completely focused on Anne and the water and the ceremony, I can’t help but hear the distant sound of firing guns. The night’s black sky has turned lighter and it won’t be long until the sun creeps over the mountainous horizon. I’m worried the troops will be arriving shortly but none of the other women react to the noise in the distance; this ceremony is too important to be interrupted by anything except immediate danger.

“Yes, of course I make that solemn vow,” I say, though Anne nods slightly and I sense she wants me to say more. “I promise that protecting the water and the Keeper will be placed above everything else in my life.”

Anne smiles and carefully places her cupped hands above mine, slowly separating them so the water trickles into mine. We do not lose a single drop. She then places her hands beneath mine and helps raise the water to my lips. I drink it all.

I drank tiny amounts of water on two other occasions, one time to save my life and the other just a few days earlier. Both times I experienced new sensations I never imagined possible. This time is the same, except only more extreme. The water is frigid and provides a surge of energy more intense than the other two times. Every part of my body feels this energy, feels like I’m being changed to my core. Actually, it feels like every part of me is being slightly stretched – it’s a bit uncomfortable.

The sensation becomes stronger and I sense that my body is glowing. I worry that there’s something wrong and try to pull away from Anne’s grip. But she’s very strong and doesn’t let go. Can Anne have set me up? Does she
want
me to get hurt? I turn my head to look at the others and notice the Queen Clan finally smiling evilly at my obvious discomfort.