The Reverence of One: Book Three of the Shadow Series (24 page)

The walls were painted a
n off white and had a strip of paper at the top
,
delicately patterned with alternating sizes of leaves which were all a dark shade of green. There were pictures everywhere, mainly of herself and Prim. On top of the television rested a series of old pictures that Test assumed were family members. They were old, tin type pictures, something that he had always found interesting. He stood from the couch to get a closer look, and as he did, Alyssa gripped his arm.

“Where are you going?” she asked softly, but with a hint of panic.

Test turned to her and flashed a smile. “I’m not going anywhere.” He bent down to her and gave her a kiss.

Providing her with the comfort that she obviously needed,
he
stood and walked to the television, taking the first picture in his hand.

“
Holy shit,” he whispered to himself.

Alyssa leaned forward in her seat. “What’s wrong?”

While examining the picture more closely, he replied. “Come here. You’ve got to see this.”

Alyssa walked quickly to his side and saw the picture.

“Is that?” she asked with a gasp.

“I think it is,” he replied.

The two of them stared at the picture silently and in awe. It was a picture of Prim and Jenz, but one taken many years ago. Their appearance was no different than what it was now
, with the exception of the clothing. Jenz wore a light colored dress with no shoulders and Prim wore a suit with a light colored shirt underneath. T
hough Test knew that a Shadow’s body did not show an advance in age once their powers came to be, the photographic evidence he held in his hands was difficult to accept.

“This is amazing,” said Alyssa, taking the picture from Test. “Look at them. This can’t be real
,
right? I mean this is probably from some carnival somewhere, right?”

Test shook his head and raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think so. I think it’s legit.”

“It is most definitely real.”

Jenz’s voice carried through the room like a ribbon in the wind
. Test and Alyssa
, startled and mildly embarrassed,
turned to her
to see Lauren standing by her side.

“I’m sorry,” replied Alyssa
. She
carefully plac
ed
the picture back in its place atop the television.

“Oh,
you’ve done nothing wrong
. I’m happy to share anything with you both.”
Leaving Lauren behind, s
he walked to them and, taking the picture in her own hands, continued. “This was taken long ago,” she turned to Test. “Prim would know for sure, so you’ll have to ask him when he returns. It was taken in
San Francisco
I
believe.”

Lauren joined them, and staring over Jenz’s shoulder, spoke in a heartfelt tone. “You look beautiful.”

Jenz looked over her shoulder. “Why thank you, Lauren.” Her eyes returned to the picture. “I miss those days sometimes.”

Alyssa noticed Lauren’s gaze still fixated on the photo. “Prim looks pretty good to, huh?” she asked
with a subtle coaxing
.

A sheepish smile appeared on Lauren’s lips as she quickly glanced to Alyssa, the expression on her face slightly giddy, like that of a school girl
with a crush
.

Jenz replaced the picture and the group all made themselves comfortable in the room. Test and Alyssa returned to the couch, while Jenz and Lauren sat next to each other on a loveseat that sat ninety-degrees to the couch and perpendicular to the television.

“Watching the news?” asked Lauren, not really meaning anything by it, just trying to make conversation.

“Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve watched T.V. I thought maybe I’d get caught up on current affairs—for normal people anyway,” he replied with a smirk to accompany the smart-aleck quip.

“It looks as though your timing is good,” answered Jenz as she pointed to the screen.

The four of them watched as a video of a night sky appeared. The screen was basically black for a few second
s
, but then something entered from the left-hand side. It was a brilliant blue light, with a faint red core, and it was streaking through the night sky, moving so fast that it appeared to have a tail coming off of it like a comet.

“What is that?” asked Alyssa.

Her eyes fixated on the screen, Lauren replied with a blank expression. “It’s Prim.”

“What?” replied Alyssa. “How do…
.
”

“She’s right,” interrupted Jenz. “It
is
Prim.”

Leaning forward on the couch, Test asked
with a stern tone. “Where is he
?”

The instant the words left his mouth, the reporter on the television answered.

“
This footage was fi
lmed a couple of hours ago near
Carlsbad
,
New Mexico
. Eye witnesses reported see
ing
the light flash through the sky at an incredible speed and disappear into the hills near
Carlsbad Caverns
. Assuming that it was a meteorite, authorities were sent to the area to search for an impact sight. As of yet, it has not been found.
”

“He has done well,” Jenz whispered to herself.

Sitting next to Jenz, Lauren’s legs bounced nervously, her hands firmly planted on her thighs. “Why aren’t they back yet?” she asked with a panicked look. “If this happened a couple of hours ago, shouldn’t they be back by now?”

Jenz patted Lauren’s thigh. “I’m sure they’re fine. I’m sure they are being careful. It wouldn’t do for them to come back here in a straight line, now would it?”

Test nodded his head in agreement. “Yeah, I’m sure their just taking the long way around
,
making sure that no one follows them home.” He spoke the words aloud to convince himself
as much
as
to convince
the others.

Their reassurances, though logical, did nothing to comfort Lauren’s mind. “I think I’m going to take another walk,” said Lauren as she stood. Without waiting for a response, she exited the room.

Test, Jenz, and Alyssa sat in silence, the only sound in the room coming from the television which had now switched to a commercial.

Taking Test’s hand into hers, Alyssa laced her fingers into his and gave a gentle squeeze. “I think I’ll join her.”

“She’s fine,” replied Test. “Besides, she’s not much of a touchy feely kind of girl.”

“I think that’s a fine idea, Alyssa,” answered Jenz as she stared at Test. Turning to Alyssa, she continued. “I think your
company would be of comfort to her
. Besides, Test and I haven’t really had a chance to get to know one another yet.”

Test
’s
heart skipped a beat. Though he had come to trust her, Jenz’s presence was still intimidating to him. He turned to Alyssa, and spoke with a pleading look contrary to his words. “Well
,
there you go.”

Alyssa grinned playfully, pecked him on the cheek, and vanished from Test’s side.

He
was overcome with a mild panic as Jenz stared at him inquisitively. He turned to the television, trying his best to ignore her as she watched him. He could almost feel her stare burning his right cheek.

“How do we know that was Prim and not another Shadow?” he blurted, turning to her sharply.

Jenz crossed her legs and straightened the wrinkles on her khaki pants. “Well, let’s think about this, shall we?” she responded in an instructive manner. “For one, there are actually very few Shadows in the world, let alone in the
United States
. To my knowledge, the four of us are the only ones outside of Isaac’s group.”

Somewhat put off by her tone, Test replied with a spark. “But you don’t know for sure, do you?”

Remaining composed, Jenz took a deep breath and ran her open palms the length of her thighs. “Young Mr. Davis,
” she replied. “You are correct,
I can’t say for certain if we four are all that there are.” She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, her brow furrowed, and continued to speak with an increasingly stern tone. “What I can tell you for certain, is that no other Shadow, besides you of course, would be so reckless as to put on a display like that for the world to see.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” asked Test
with a fervent tone
.

“Please,” answered Jenz, holding her hands up
.
“
C
alm down. Your behavior is not entirely your fault.”

Test clenched his teeth, struggling to keep
himself from saying anything that he could regret.

Jenz wetted her lips and composed herself as she continued. “Most, if not all Shadow’s survive their birth, if you will,
in
only one of three ways.

“The first is being able to control one’s actions.  Now, this may sound easy, but as you’ve discovered, it appears that most Shadows are typically cursed with a lack of self-control.” She paused and leaned her head forward, turning her left ear to Test and raising her eyebrows.

Though he tried, Test couldn’t keep the grin from his lips.

“
Those who are
n’t
able to keep their gifts hidden from the humans,” she continued, “will obviously stand a better chance of an encounter with the Reapers.
That brings us to possibility number two, and the true reason why there are so few.
”

Test felt a lump in his
throat
and swallowed hard as Jenz continued.

“Those
who come into their powers, but
are unable to control the
m, draw the attention of Isaac.”

“Cliff told me a little about this,” Test interjected. “A Reaper came for Lauren.”

Jenz bowed her head gracefully. “I would assume that that is correct, though I haven’t had that discussion with her. You see, when a Reaper comes, it is strictly at the command of Isaac. He is the oldest and most powerful of our kind. His only desire is to remain that way.”

“And that’s why he wants me?” asked Test.

“Yes, but you present more of a threat to him than most,” she replied.

With a deep sigh, Test responded as he flopped back in his seat. “I keep hearing that, but I don’t understand.”

“As I have told you,” answered Jenz, “you have yet to realize your full potential.”

“But what does that mean?” asked Test
with an increasing level of frustration
.

Sensing his frustration, Jenz stood and sat next to him on the edge of the couch. “I wish I could tell you precisely what that meant, but I’m afraid that no one knows.”

Test slouched even further into the couch and closed his eyes.

Taking his right hand into hers, Jenz pu
rsed her lips as she struggled with a way that she could comfort him.

“I haven’t been completely honest with you,” she began.

Test opened his eyes and stared at her hand
holding his as she continued
.

“
Much like your friend Mr. Johnston, I have the gift of sight as well
.”

Test huffed lightly and
stared with a skeptical expression
. “
You hit the jackpot then, huh?
”

Jenz patted his hand
firmly
. “
Oh, young one
,
I do hope that you are able to keep that sense of humor
.” She stood and sat directly across from him on
the coffee table.
“Why would it be hard to believe that a human could possess the gift of sight, but a Shadow could not?”

“I’m sorry,” replied Test sincerely. “I’m a little stressed out. Usually I…
.
”

“Lose control?” interrupted Jenz, her head angled slightly. She patted his leg. “You are handling all of this well
,
much better than I had expected.”

“Thanks—I guess,” replied Test.

Jenz stood and walked to a short wall that stood next to the doorway leading to the next room. Folding her arms across her chest, she stared blankly at a painting that hung before her. “How’s your shoulder?” she asked.

Instantly lifting his arm up and down, he replied. “It’s fine. There’s barely even a…
.
”
H
e stopped himself mid-sentence and stared at her from his seat. “How did you know about that?”

She turned to him with her arms still crossed. “That was the first time I had a vision of you.
I only saw glimpses of your escape, but I did see you fall.
Even though I didn’t know who you were at the time, I have lived long enough to know that it meant our paths would
someday cross
.”