The Reverence of One: Book Three of the Shadow Series (35 page)

“Jenz!”

She looked up with a startled expression.

“You coming?” asked Prim.

“Yes,” she replied, taking a step forward, “but before we proceed further, I need to lay out some
rules.” She walked to the center of where the others stood before continuing. “Number one rule is no use of our powers. No exceptions.” She turned to Test. “This means that until Cliff returns with the help we are hoping for, Alyssa will have to remain on the other side.” She looked to Alyssa. “I’m sorry, but we have to be extremely cautious.”

Nodding her head, but glancing to Test sadly, Alyssa replied. “I understand, and I agree.”

Jenz watched and waited as Alyssa looked at her blankly.

“What? You want me to go now?” asked Alyssa.

“Yes
,” replied Jenz
.
“
Again, I’m sorry
.
”

Alyssa felt Test’s grip on her right arm as he pulled her into him. “I’ll see you in a little bit. I’m sure Mom and Cliff will be back soon. Maybe they’re already inside?” he spoke with hope.

With a sigh and a sad look, Alyssa replied. “I know.” She craned her neck up slowly, practically begging for Test’s kiss. He responded with a tight lipped, tension filled touching of her lips. “It’s going to be okay, Test,” she whispered
as she pulled away
.

His face strained
with concern, he nodded his head to her. “I love you,” he muttered painfully.

“I know
.
”
As she slowly faded from view, she placed a hand on his cheek and replied. “I love you, too.”

Seeing that Test was visibly upset, Jenz stepped to him and stood face to face
, holding up a single finger
. “
One more rule.” She spoke commandingly. Though she knew he wanted comforting, he had to understand the importance of her instructions. “You have to control yourself. Should we learn that Isaac has Nicole, you have to remain composed. You
r
los
s
control could kill u
s all.
” She paused and looked upon him with a tentative grimace.
“
Do you understand?”

Grinding his teeth, Test puffed out his chest and nodded his head in silence.

Jenz patted him on the chest and then straightened out the wrinkles on his shirt. “Good then. On we go.”

As the group stepped off the curb and
began to walk
across the street, Prim felt a small swell of energy push him from the East. Though he was sure he knew what it meant, he kept it hidden from the others, preferring to share it with Jenz when they reached the apartment.

***
*

The group walked by several people in the parking lot, trying their best to blend in. The only looks that they received were those glancing at Jenz’s odd appearance. Though it was a tense moment for Lauren and Test, it was obvious that Jenz and Prim were both used to that sort of attention as they paid it no mind.

Miraculously, Lauren had guided them to the correct building on her first attempt
,
and in moments the group stood outside of Thad’s apartment door.

Looking down the hall to make sure no one was
around;
Lauren spoke in a whisper to the group.
“You guys wait here. I’ll go in and then open the door from the inside.”

With silent nods from each of them, Lauren phased and passed through the door. Once through, she quickly shifted back to the living world and opened the door, standing to the side as each of the others passed single file into the apartment.

Exhausted from their journey, each of them proceeded to plop onto a piece of
furniture
;
all but Prim who stood
and
walked to the kitchen
, standing
with his back to the room. Sensing that something was bothering him, Jenz pushed herself up from the couch and approached him with a quiet tone.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

Prim turned his head to her,
watching
her with troubled eyes, and then turned to face the room. The others sat with their heads leaning back and their eyes closed, seeming to be resting as peacefully as the situation would allow. He turned his back to the room once more and looked to Jenz.

“I don’t think so,” he replied softly. “I don’t want to talk about it here,” he glanced back over his shoulder.
“I don’t think it wise that they
know.”

Fearing she knew what Prim was speaking of, she closed her eyes slowly, almost as if in slow motion. As she opened them, Prim walked past her and towards a short hallway with a door on either side
at
the end. She followed him, glancing to the others to assure herself that their leaving the room wasn’t noticed.

The two of them stepped into what was obviously Thad’s bedroom, and Jenz partially closed the door behind her, allowing a crack just large enough to see if anyone were to come down the hallway.

“He has the girl, doesn’t he?” asked Jenz in a panicked voice.

“I can’t say for sure,” replied Prim, “but I felt a surge from the East.”

“How far away?”

“Close,” he replied. “Within the city or one of its suburbs.” He looked at her with a grim expression. “Like I said, I can’t be sure, but their presence here is undeniable to me. I can think of no other reason for their presence, can you?”

Jenz stared into the wall past Prim’s shoulder, struggling for a different explanation. “No, unfortunately, I cannot.” Bringing her eyes to Prim’s, she continued. “However, their presence doesn’t automatically mean that they have the girl, it just means that there is a chance that they know she is returning.”

Prim’s face wrinkled in apprehension. “But how?” he spoke loudly, wincing at his own volume.

Turning and glancing through the doors opening, she pushed it shut, turning the knob in her hand so it would be silent. “I don’t know,” she answered sternly. “I don’t pretend to have all of the answers.”

“I’m sorry,” answered Prim. “It’s just that…
.
”

“It’s fine,” replied Jenz, cutting him off mid-sentence.

The room fell silent as the two Shadows stared blankly at one another. Suddenly, as if lightning had rushed through him, Prim jerked.

“What is it?” asked Jenz.

“What if…
.
”
H
e paused, trying to wet his lips but his mouth had gone dry. “What if we aren’t the only ones to have spirits as allies?”

Jenz’s eyes grew wide as she considered the possibility, but then relaxed as she responded. “It’s a valid theory, but if that were the case, wouldn’t we have been discovered in
Oregon
?”

Letting out a deep sigh, a mixture of relief and frustration, Prim replied. “That would be true.” He stopped for a moment, returning to thought. “That would be true unless, in the process of Cliff and Maggie searching for help, the wrong spirit was alerted.”

Wrinkling her brow, Jenz spoke timidly. “The
wrong
spirit?” she asked. “The Reapers do nothing but take lives, what spirit would choose to help them?”

Trying once again to wet his lips, Prim choked on the words. “One who
….
”
H
e stopped to clear his throat. “One who lost their life at the hands of someone other than a Reaper?”

Again Jenz’s eyes widened at the prospect as Prim continued.

“There are more than a few who lost their life by Test’s hand, whether intentional or otherwise. Is it not possible that they might seek revenge?
Where do you think the first place that Cliff and Maggie would go for help would be
;
Lincoln
, right?
”

Jenz turned and took the door knob into her hand once more, turning it slowly as her eyes focused on Prims stoic face.
Opening the door behind her,
she
leaned into Prim and whispered in his ear. “Things just got exponentially more complicated. Do not utter a word of this to anyone. When
Cliff
and Maggie return, we shall formulate our plan. Until then, I suggest that we all get as much rest as we can. I fear that we’ll need it.”

Though she tried to rest, Jenz could not force her mind to stop the freight train of thought from continuing to barrel along at a break-neck pace. Prim had suggested that she take Thad’s bed, a suggestion that was more than welcome, and she had immediately rested her head upon the lumpy pillow. She’d laid awake for what seemed like hours with the entire apartment blanketed in silence, and she could only hope that the others were getting more rest than she was.

She’d hoped that Cliff and Maggie would have returned by now, and was anxious to find out if they were successful in their mission. It wasn’t until that moment that she’d begun to question herself about how they would be able to relay their message. She knew that they wouldn’t be able to risk bringing them to the side of the living. That would exert far too much power and would surely send a signal to Isaac of their location. The only alternative was to risk the brief pulse of shifting to the other side, t
heir side. It was the only way.

In a twist of irony, she suddenly
felt a shift
of
energy from within the
apartment;
a sudden light knock came on the bedroom door, causing her to flinch.

“Jenz?” questioned Lauren’s voice. “Are you awake
?
”

She opened her eyes, surprised by the lack of light that was coming through the bedroom window. She’d been lying there longer than she’d once thought and the late afternoon sun was beginning to fade. She pushed herself up onto her elbows as she peered blurrily to Lauren.

“Yes, I’m awake. What is it?” she asked.

“They’ve returned.”

Jenz shot to the side of the bed, throwing her legs over abruptly. “They haven’t…
.
”

“No,” interrupted Lauren. “They’re still on the other side. I’m assuming that Alyssa caught them before they entered the building and they’re waiting on your instructions.”

“Good girl,” Jenz muttered to herself as she stood from the bed.

The pull from the next room continued to grow as walked out into the hallway
,
and she was hopefully that it signified Cliff and Maggie’s success. As she followed Lauren into the main room, she was greeted by weary eyes from both Prim and Test. It didn’t look as though either of them fared any better than she at getting some sleep.

Stepping to the center of the room, just behind the couch, she addressed the room. “Welcome, friends.” She looked in the general direction of the area that held the strongest pull on her torso. “It is too dangerous for us to bring you to this side, so I will come to you.”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, is it?” asked Test, his voice full of concern.

“She’s right,” replied Prim. “It’s the only way. She’s the fastest and will provide the least amount of risk.”

Jenz turned to him and, with a thoughtful look, disappeared in a quick flash of light.

****

Test stood from the recliner as Lauren took a seat next to Prim on the couch. He watched as the two of them intertwined their fingers as Lauren rested her head on his shoulder. A wave of jealousy ran through him, wishing that he could have Alyssa’s comfort as he began to pace the floor.

After a couple of moments
of watching Test’s anxiety
play out
, Lauren spoke. “Why don’t you sit down.”

“I’m fine,” he replied, turning to ret
race
the steps he’d just taken.

“I’m not asking for your well-being
,” she answered sharply. “Y
ou’
re driving me…
.
”
S
he
stopped as Prim squeezed her hand
.
Biting her tongue, she shot Prim a scornful look, but was pleased to watch Test proceed to the kitchen table and pull out a chair.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about all of this?” asked Test, partially hidden from the others’ view.

Prim leaned forward, craning his neck around to make eye contact with Test, and replied with a wavering voice. “Try to stay positive. We’ll know more in a few minutes. Until then, we should try to stay positive.”

Lauren squeezed Prim’s hand this time and waited for him to turn back to her before she shot him a questioning look. “That didn’t sound very convincing.” His only response was to shrug his shoulders.

“How are we going to know if Isaac gets Nicole?” asked Test, standing from the table and walking back to the main room.