The Gathering (9 page)

“No, you?”

“No.”

Sam closed his eyes tight and thought of everything that meant something to him: Scott, his mother and father, his grandmother, his sister, Chelsea, Corey and Madison.
 
Just then he felt Madison’s nose, wet and cool in his hand.
 
He began to breathe slowly and with purpose.
 
He heard his grandmother’s voice.

“Focus on the joy, Boy, let the light in.”

The heavy constricting air that had sent him reeling was gone and he felt lighter. Cautiously he began to open his eyes.
 
The light was bright and slowly the blurred images began to take shape.

His father was leaning over him and his mother was holding his hand.
 
He tilted his head back and saw his grandmother between his brother and sister.
 
She was smiling and nodding.

“Thanks, Gram.”

He tried to sit up, but his father pushed him back.

“I’m ok, Dad.
 
Really.”

Sam sat up and looked over at Scott.

“Can you see yet?”

Scott turned towards him.

“No.”

Sam crawled over to Scott and whispered in his ear to think of those things that were meaningful to him, people, places, and things that brought light into his heart.
  

Scott gave him a weird look without seeing him, but Sam told him to try it.

The Forresters had just arrived back with the town doctor when Scott closed his eyes tightly and took his best friend’s advice.
 
Not five minutes later he opened his eyes and smiled.
 
He looked at Sam.

“Hey, Red. How goes it?”

They both laughed and embraced.
 
Jeb Forrester and his wife, Beth, stood in awe and relief as their eldest son stood up and walked over to them.
 
Jeb was the vice president of Pasadena.
 
Henry Forrester stood silently watching his brother, fear in his eyes.
 
Scott finished allowing his parents to hug him and then he grabbed Henry by the shoulder and winked at him.
 
Henry smiled as the relief washed over him and he grabbed Scott's shoulder.

Lilliana Hearst pulled her son to her.
 
He could smell the salt of her tears mixed with the lavender she always wore.

"I'm ok, Mom."

“Let him go, Lilli.
 
He is fine.
 
No evil shall take this boy.”

Elena Petrulengo walked over to her daughter and grandson.
 
She reached up and pulled his face to hers.
 
She whispered in his face.

“I am very proud, Boy.
 
You will make a great healer yet.”

She kissed him and hollered for everyone to continue loading their wagons.

“I’m not sure we should go.”

Larry Hearst grabbed his son’s shoulder and Sam could see that he was on the verge of tears.
 
Sam shook his head.

“No, we should go, Dad.
 
I’m fine.
 
Bud?
 
You feel ok?”

Scott turned and looked at everyone.

“Yeah, I feel ok.
 
Little bit of a headache, but fine.”

Elena Petrulengo turned to her son-in-law.

“See, they are fine.
 
And if not, then we are going to the village with the best medicine, so they will fix him there.”

Elena waved her hand at her son-in-law, dismissing him.
 
Elena Petrulengo was a gypsy.
 
Her daughter had fallen in love with an atheist, but she had made every effort to teach her grandchildren about her people's ways, the old magic of the Romany.
 
She then took her daughter’s hand and led her back to the house.
 
Chelsea and Corey Hearst moved towards their brother.
 
Chelsea reached over and moved Sam's hair from his face.

"Are you ok?"

Sam looked at her and smiled.
 
Like her brothers, she had long red hair and blue eyes that were now bloodshot from crying.

"Yeah, Chels. I'm fine.
 
Really."

Sam could see the fear in her eyes.
 
Corey was looking concerned as well.

"Really, guys, I'm ok."

Chelsea was only sixteen, but she had an old soul.
 
Sam often thought about how many times she had taken care of her brothers.
 
Sam pulled her towards him and gave her a reassuring hug.
 
She squeezed him tightly and pressed her face to his chest.
 
Sam marveled at how strong she was, this tiny delicate thing.

"Ok, as long as you're sure," she said.

Sam nodded and Chelsea let him go.
 
Sam leaned forward and grabbed Corey by the neck, nodding with his eyebrows raised.
 
Corey smiled nodded back.
 
Sam let him go and Corey went back to the house with Chelsea.

Larry watched his children with great pride.
 
He moved to help his son continue loading the wagons.
 
Jeb and Scott began to help.
 
They all worked in a relieved silence.
 
Not knowing what had happened had shaken their beliefs to the core.
 
All the while, Jeb and Larry watched their sons.
 
Something had attacked the boys and something Elena had done had saved them, but what was it?

In the distance, a falcon watched.
 

12

Sean escorted the children and Alia through the village to the main platform, where he turned and bowed to his queen, kissed the top of her hand.
 
She smiled slightly and nodded as she made her way up the wooden steps of the platform, followed by the children and several soldiers, including Myron Chambers.
 

Myron was next in command after Sean.
 
He had been a beat cop in the LAPD before the War.
 
He was a threatening figure at first glance; large and imposing with narrowed eyes that gave most reason to pause, but those who knew him knew there wasn’t a bigger heart to be found.
 
Myron had been at Crystal Shade originally, but he felt the cold blanket of prejudice wrapped tightly around him so he left, only to arrive at Lia Fail.
 
Although born a Baptist, he had embraced the freedom of the Fail, and he had met his wife, Carolyn, not twenty-four hours after arriving.
 
He spent hours telling anyone who would listen how it was love at first sight.
 
Carolyn would tell them it wasn’t that fast for her, but eventually he had won her heart.
 

As the Starks took their places on the platform, a formation of men and women, dressed in white and gold uniforms, marched through the gates.
 
They moved into the square in two rows and then opened ranks to allow the leaders of Crystal Shade, the Roberts and the Mergansers, to walk towards the platform.
 
Justin Roberts was forty-five and a good looking man, but almost pretty.
 
Every hair was in its place and he looked as though he had applied make-up only moments before.
 
He was dressed in a white velvet suit and gold tie.
 
His wife Tawny was forty.
 
Her hair had been dyed a golden color that not one of the hair keepers in Lia Fail had been able to duplicate and she too was dressed from head to toe in white velvet and gold.
 
Her eyes were covered in powdered chalk and her lips and cheeks were dyed bright red from the natural cosmetics many women currently used; however, Tawny had not mastered in thirteen years, the right way to wear these enhancements so she verged on looking clownish, which was a shame as Tawny was actually a very pretty woman.
 
The three Roberts children walked up behind their parents.
 
Brittany, Clara and Peter were sixteen, twelve and ten respectively and the spitting image of their parents.

Stephan Merganser and his two sons, Elian and Albion, dressed in the same attire walked along side the Roberts family.
 
Stephan, an attractive man, was known to harbor feelings of desire for Alia but often came across as arrogant and self-righteous.
 
Elian was a handsome boy of eighteen, but behaved much like his father.
 
Albion had a sweet face and bright blue eyes.
 
He was sixteen, and unlike his father and brother was very shy and quiet.
 
Alia always made sure to acknowledge Albion and secretly hoped he would someday precede all the others to rule Crystal Shade.
 
They needed someone who could teach them about true tolerance.
 

Stephan and Justin had built Crystal Shade together and they ran it together.
 
They were both ministers of the Schuyler word and relished the conversions of those they referred to as the "unaware."
 
Stephan was in his early fifties and had lost his wife a year before Alia had lost Paul.
 
Anne Merganser had been abducted.
 
They had never found her body, but did find a pendant she never removed.
 
It was believed she had been murdered.

The procession stopped in front of the platform and both families made their way up to the top.
 
Once reaching the top, Justin and Stephan bowed deeply before Alia, as did the rest of their family members.
 
Then the Starks returned the tribute, but as the children bowed and curtsied, Peter Roberts made a face at Lisa and Brandon.
 
The twins were a quiet pair and not prone to reacting, so they ignored him, but Amanda saw the look and was about to yell at Peter, when a hand came over her mouth.
 
It was Alisha.
 
She shook her head at Amanda, who was about to protest, but stopped when she saw Alisha mouth the word "later."
 
Amanda stepped back in disappointment and sighed.
 
Alia stepped forward and raised her arms in front of her.

"Those from Crystal Shade, we at Lia Fail bid you welcome.
 
Please come and set up your wares and unpack.
 
Let it be known that the Gathering has begun.
 
Please follow Chancellor Shorely."

A huge wave of applause erupted from the onlookers.
 
The Crystals all smiled and tilted their heads in a way that gave insight to the idea that they thought they might catch something if they let their guard down.
 
Alia motioned for the Crystals to move to the left of the stage where Vivian was waiting.
 
Vivian smiled tightly and lifted her arms over head.
 
Several men and women in similar outfits rushed to her side where they all turned and led the garish troop of visitors to their quarters and the market place.

Alia turned to Justin and his wife.

"It's good to see you, Justin, Tawny.
 
You look well."

Justin Roberts took in a deep breath of air and hooked his thumbs in his white velvet vest, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"As do you, Alia, as do you.
 
I've noticed that your children are becoming quite grown up.
 
Are you certain that you don't want to teach them…?”