Marker of Hope (11 page)

“I was saying,” Claire’s voice came from the
phone’s speaker, “that I called Isis ‘Eva’ all through the
pregnancy, because it’s what Hector wanted to name her.” I felt my
knees buckle, and David steadied me. Claire continued to chatter
away. “But a day before she was born, I was reading a book and the
main character’s name was Isis. I fell in love with the name, so I
called her Isis instead. My mother-in-law was disappointed I didn’t
name her Eva after her.”

“That’s what I thought,” Nyx said.

“Huh?”

“Never mind. Go on.”

“So listen,” Claire said, “I think we need to
sit these two kids down and discuss their plans for their future
because—”

“Claire,” Nyx interrupted, “I’ll have to get
back to you, dear. I hear Alezzander calling me.”

“Oh, okay,” Claire said. “I’ll talk to you
later, then?”

“Yes, absolutely. Bye for now,” Nyx said and
ended the call.

The room was silent as I focused on the
floor. The similarities of the life of the girl in Nyx’s story to
my life were too great to be coincidence.

“Nyx.” I looked at her. “Did you know this
all along? Is it the reason you kept in contact with my mom?”

“I knew some of it. I hadn’t pieced it
together until David started acting irrationally and went in search
of Eros in Paris.” She put her phone back in her purse. “And…” She
hesitated. “The Runes told me this would happen.”

“The Runes?” Alezzander asked. Nyx nodded.
“And you didn’t tell me?”

“Like you, I didn’t want to believe it.” Nyx
stood from the stairs and paced. “When I met you, Alezzander, I had
visions—visions that terrified me. So much, in fact, I denied
myself use of my clairvoyant abilities. Do you remember who I lived
with then?”

Alezzander nodded. “Your uncles.”

“Uno and Enoch are Runes. They were my
mentors, not my uncles. I lied to you because you already had a
seat with the Council, and I was afraid if anyone found out, they’d
use me at their convenience, like my mother had used me to gamble,
kill…cheat. I’d seen that scenario play out in my visions so many
times.”

“You have visions?” I asked. “You mean like
Galilea has visions?”

“I was a Rune, like Galilea. Once I left Uno
and Enoch, I refused the title. I haven’t used my foresight in a
long time.” She turned to Alezzander. “I’m sorry I kept this from
you.”

Alezzander stared at her. I couldn’t
understand his calmness. Normally, he’d be spitting out fire in a
situation like this.

“I’ve kept things from you, as well,” he
said. “Uno told me about your foresight and about your past on the
day we wed. He told me he and Enoch were Runes—
The
Runes. I
promised to keep their identities secret. But this…” He motioned to
David and me. “He never breathed a word of this.”

“Since we’re all being honest,” I said, “it’s
not the first time I’ve been called the Marker of Hope.” Three sets
of eyes questioned me in silence. “Deus and Uno called me by the
name too.”

“Deus?” Alezzander’s eyes widened.

“Uno?” Nyx gaped at me.

“You didn’t tell me any of this,” David
said.

“I know.” I gave him an apologetic look. “I
was going to, but then everything happened at once—the demons,
Claire, your parents—and we haven’t really had a chance to recap
everything.”

“Demons?” Nyx asked. “What’s been going on
here?”

“Where…when did you see Deus?” Alezzander
asked, stepping closer to me.

“And when did you speak to Uno?” Nyx pushed
her husband aside. “Did Galilea have something to do with
this?”

“I’ll answer all of your questions, but
before I do, answer something for me,” I said. “How does it end—the
story?”

Alezzander rubbed his forehead and eyed Nyx.
I turned to David for an answer.

“Come,” David said, taking my hand. He led me
to the study. “I think you should sit down.”

CHAPTER 14

People didn’t often tell other people to sit
down if what they were about to hear was good news. As a matter of
fact, most times what followed was the worst news imaginable. I
knew this firsthand because when my dad, Hector, died, my mom told
me the same thing:
sit down
.

So I did. I sat on one of the chairs in the
study. David placed his hand on my shoulder, and I looked up at
him.

“How bad?” I asked.

“Just listen,” he said.

Nyx took the chair next to me, while
Alezzander lingered at the door.

“This story isn’t like the stories you’ve
heard before,” Nyx said. “The ending was never the same.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” I said.

“The ending was left up to the child hearing
it to tell.”

“That makes no sense,” I said. “What kind of
story is that?”

“I often wondered the same thing.” Alezzander
walked into the room with his hands behind his back. “I thought it
was meant to be a way to spark a child’s imagination and to make
him or her feel like an important contributor to the victory—or
demise—of Eva’s tale. But now…” He rubbed his chin. “Now I
understand why it’s told this way.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because the only one who can decide how it
ends is the Marker of Hope. It’s her story to tell, after all.”

“That’s it?” I said, unimpressed.

Alezzander nodded.

“You know….” I looked up at David. “You
really shouldn’t ask a person to sit down unless you’re about to
give them devastating news.”

“Uh…” David gave me a confused stare. “I
asked you to sit down because I wanted you to relax.”

“Who said I’m not relaxed? I’m fine. You’re
the one who should relax.”

“Isis, you’re stressed and your eyes are
giving it away. They’ve been changing since my parents walked in
the door. I’m surprised Olympia didn’t notice.”

I glanced at Nyx and Alezzander. They nodded
in agreement.

“It happened in the car with your mother,
too,” David reminded me.

“Okay. So, I might be feeling some pressure
with all that’s happening. But how am I supposed to control
something I have no control over?”

“You have to learn. It’s a part of you.” Nyx
held her hand out to me, palm up. “May I?”

I gave her my hand, and she held it between
both of hers. She fixed her gaze on a spot on the floor. It took no
more than a few seconds before she looked up at me again.

“In spite of your mother’s claims saying you
don’t eat,” she said, putting my hand on my lap, “you’re very
healthy. And so is my grandchild.”

“Is that all you feel?” David asked his
mother.

“Aside from her growing strength—we saw a
display of it earlier—I feel as if the transformation has paused.
But…” She shrugged a shoulder. “I could be wrong.”

“Really?” I stood up. “It stopped? Are you
sure?”

“I could be wrong,” Nyx repeated. “I’ve been
wrong about you before.”

In the midst of all that had transpired
during the last couple of months, this news shed the most dazzling
light of hope since I learned I was becoming a monster.

“We’re waiting on test results from Dr.
Gunn,” David said. “Perhaps he’ll be able to confirm—”

“Gunn?” Alezzander’s forehead crinkled. “How
did you get a hold of him?”

“Dr. Gunn and his wife are living here for
now,” I explained. “With Galilea.”

“And why is Galilea living here?” Alezzander
asked.

“Because I asked her to come with me,” I
said.

“Galilea’s been protecting Isis all this
time,” Nyx said. “Like she’s supposed to.” She lowered her head.
“Like I was supposed to. Years after I left the Runes, she took my
place.” She turned to look at me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you and
one of my sons would end up together.”

“You’ve kept much from me.” Alezzander lifted
Nyx’s chin.

“I have,” Nyx agreed. “I’m sorry.”

Alezzander kissed Nyx’s forehead. “It’s all
right,” he said. “We’ll discuss it later.”

“So what do I do now?” I asked.

“Well, there’s only one thing you can do,”
Alezzander told me. “Stay alive.”

Easier said than done.

***

I filled in Nyx and Alezzander on what
happened from the day I left Bucharest with Galilea and the Doctors
Gunn. I asked them about the repercussions of breaking off an
engagement—David’s and Olympia’s to be exact—in their culture. They
told me there’d be gossip and criticism, but nothing of
consequence. Nyx told us how she and Alezzander flew in from
Canada, where Alezzander had stopped to negotiate a business deal.
The meeting ran late, and they missed their flight. During the
delay to hop on the next plane, Olympia called Nyx, asking for
David. When she found out David’s parents were heading to meet him,
she insisted on coming along.

“What if Olympia tells the Council about me?”
I asked.

“She’s not empathic, so she doesn’t sense
you’re different. Plus, she’s under the impression you’re a deity,”
Nyx said.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Well, your hand was fine after you struck
her. What else would she think?”

“I hope you’re right,” I said. “It’s one less
thing to worry about.”

“Indeed,” Alezzander and David said at
once.

It was past eleven o’clock at night, and I
told David I needed to go home. After seeing David had their
furniture taken to a storage facility, Alezzander decided he and
Nyx should check into a hotel in town. Nyx was hesitant to leave
David and me alone because of the recent Turpis attack.

“Once I’m home, I’ll be fine,” I said to Nyx.
“Galilea has a block placed on my house so no one can see it or me.
And David isn’t the one the demons want.”

“But—”

“We’ll be fine, Mother,” David reassured her.
“You should both get some rest.”

Alezzander and Nyx left to the hotel in their
rental car, and David drove me home. As we drove under the
streetlights on my block, I caught glimpses of David’s face. His
jaw was tight and his brow tighter. I knew the look of worry on his
face.

“You didn’t mean it when you told your mom
we’d be fine,” I said to David as he parked.

“No,” he admitted. “But I didn’t want either
of you to worry. I don’t want to leave you here by yourself.” He
glanced at my house. “Galilea’s invisible block is down.”

“I was of afraid of that.” I said. “She did
mention she could hardly handle it anymore. I guess she’s reached
her limit.”

“It was bound to happen.”

“Yeah.” I glanced at the house and noticed
the living room light was on. “My mom is still up—waiting for me,
I’m sure.”

“I wonder,” David said. “Do you think she’d
allow me to spend the night?”

“With me—in my bed? Oh…” I shook my head. “I
doubt my mom will be okay with it. I might be pregnant, but we’re
not married, and she’s old fashioned.”

“I’ll sleep on the couch. I don’t care. As
long as I’m here in case anything…in case you need me.”

“So what? You plan on marching in there and
saying, ‘Hey, Mrs. Martin, can I crash on your couch tonight? I
don’t want the boogie man to get your daughter.’”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He gave me an annoyed
look. “I wouldn’t use the term boogie man.”

“So what lie am I telling her this time?”

“You’re going to tell her there’s no
furniture in my house because the movers took it. That’s not a
lie.”

“It’s also not the entire truth,” I said.

“Isis, do you think I enjoy lying to your
mother? But we have to for her own safety.”

“I know. I know.” I leaned over and kissed
his cheek. “Thanks for being so considerate of my mom. Now, c’mon.
Let’s go see what she has to say about our sleepover.”

The television was on, and Claire was asleep
on the sofa. I picked up the remote control on her chest and
clicked off the TV. She stirred.

“Mom,” I said. A snore. “Mom.” I shook her
shoulder. “MOM.”

“What?” she mumbled, her eyes still
closed.

“I’m home.”

“M’kay.”

“David’s here, too,” I said. She didn’t
react. “Mom…” I shook her again. “Wake up.”

Claire opened her eyes. “What—what’s
wrong?”

“David is here,” I said. “His house is empty.
He has nowhere to sleep.”

“They got robbed?” Claire asked.

“No. Their furniture got moved into a storage
facility.”

“Oh.” Claire sat up and rubbed her sleepy
face. She looked over at David who stood by the door. “Hi,
David.”

“Evening, Mrs. Martin.”

“
Why
is your furniture in storage?”
she asked.

“The estate is up for sale,” he explained. “I
planned on leaving tomorrow—my plans changed—and I’d already
contracted the movers to take the furniture to storage. The last of
it was taken this afternoon.”

“Really? Shame. That place is beautiful,” she
said. “But where are your parents sleeping? Do they have a place to
stay?”

“They’re at that new hotel in town,” I
said.

“They were given the last available room,”
David lied. “The hotel is sold out.”

“Because of summer vacationers,” I added. We
waited for my mom to say something. She didn’t. “So is it okay if
he stays on the couch tonight?”

“The couch?” Claire asked. “Why? Is there
something wrong with your room?

“Oh, that’s a good idea.” I turned to David.
“You can sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep with my mom.”

“That’s perfect,” David said. “Thank you,
Mrs. Martin.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Claire stood from
the couch. She slipped on her house slippers. “David can sleep with
you in your room. It’s not like I can expect any more surprises,
right?” She walked to the stairs. “Lock the front door and turn off
all the lights before you come up. Good night, kids.”

I watched Claire walk up the stairs, my mouth
half open. I heard the door to her room shut. I turned to David.
“What just happened?”

“I’m not sure.”

I told David to give me a minute. He waited
on the couch while I ran upstairs to tidy up my room and change
into my pajamas. It would be strange having a boy sleeping in my
room. Stranger still, Claire knew about it, and she was just across
the hall. If she’d been the one with a man in her room, I’d be
disgusted. I wondered what was going through her head. I was
tempted to knock on her door and see if see if she really was okay
or just playing it cool.