The Prophecy (6 page)

No. I
could never forgive him for setting the fire that killed my family. And I would
never be rid of the fear that would continue to plague me as long as he
remained out there. What if he came back one day and tried to kill me again?

I
cleared my throat. “Do, uh . . . do you think you could show me the house where
my mom grew up?”

Imogene
wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, and I knew it was a prelude to bad
news. “Oh, honey. I wish I could. But that house was torn down soon after your
family left the reservation.”

My
heart seized in my chest. “Torn down! But why? I don’t understand.”

“Victor
insisted. He wanted no visible reminders of your mother or family. The Council
tried to talk him out of it, but he was so distraught. He wouldn’t take no for
an answer.”

“I
can’t believe it. It’s like they never even existed. It’s like everyone’s completely
forgotten about them.”

“Not
completely,” Imogene said. She held me tightly against her. “After all, you’re
still here to remind them.”

SIX

I had
just managed to block out Adrian’s snoring and fall asleep when the clanging of
a portable wind-up clock jarred me awake. Bringing my knees to my chest, I
pulled the scratchy wool blanket over my head, catching a glimpse of the leaden
sky outside.  

“It’s going
to pour soon,” David said, raising his voice against the howling wind squeezing
through the cracks of the cinderblock building.

“I hope
we’ll get some of this back home,” Meg said with a yawn. “We’re losing
inventory to the heat, and I don’t entirely trust the Templeton boys to do a
proper job of watering.”

“Breakfast
is almost ready. Everyone up!”

At the
sound of Imogene’s voice, I recalled our conversation from the night before. I
pulled the blanket down from around my face and watched as she prodded Adrian
with the end of her wooden spoon, trying unsuccessfully to wake him. With a
sigh and a shrug, she finally gave up.

“Let
him starve,” she said, winking at me before going back to preparing breakfast.

I
looked over at Adrian. He lay sprawled on his belly, his long arms dangling
over the sides of the cot and comatose with sleep. Shyla was nowhere to be
seen, but her blanket lay folded in a neat rectangle at the end of her cot.

I
reached for my bag, having packed it with no idea what to wear to the Council
meeting. I wanted to make a good impression, but I also didn’t want to look
like I was trying too hard—not that my wardrobe would give anyone the
impression that I actually cared about what I wore. Frustrated, I had given up
and shoved a pair of worn jeans and faded tee into the bag, and I pulled those
out now.

Shyla entered
the room rubbing a towel against her wet head. She saw me watching her and
smirked knowingly. “Get ready to work some magic.”

I
shoved my feet into my slippers and stood, my clean clothes balled in my hand. “Huh?”

Shyla bent
at the waist and wrapped her hair turban-style. “You’ll see.” Her voice was
muffled against her chest, but I thought I detected a grin.

Without
another word I plodded to the cramped bathroom where rust-colored water stains lined
the sink. When I turned the tap in the shower, the water came out little more than
a tepid trickle. A garden hose would have been more efficient.

“You
have got to be kidding,” I muttered.

Bracing
myself against the cold, I stepped in. The tiled floor was like a block of ice
under my bare feet, and I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, convulsing with
shivers. But then I remembered what Shyla had said about working magic. What
did she mean?

I put
my hand against the shower nozzle as my teeth chattered. Goosebumps rippled
across my skin as rivulets of cold water dripped down my raised arm and off my
elbow. I closed my eyes and tried to infuse every warm thought I could muster
into my fingertips, which only succeeded in creating a lot of steam. I jumped
back, afraid of burning myself.

Closing
my eyes again, I reached toward the metal nozzle but didn’t touch it. I pictured
an ocean swell of deep-sea green, and immediately the water came rushing out in
full force. It hit me square in the face, clogging my nose and stinging my eyes.
I sputtered and quickly gave up, deciding I could go a day without a proper
shower. I’d have to practice water tricks later.

 “Did
you get it to work?” Shyla said.

I
glared in her direction, still freezing. “Ha! I’m pretty sure Charley arranged
for us to stay here based on the crappy bathroom facilities alone.”

Shyla
laughed. “I was never very good at manipulating water. It’s a hard element to
control. Fire was definitely my thing.”

“I remember,”
I said dryly. “It seems to be my thing, too.”

Our voices
finally roused Adrian, who grunted a few times before slowly pulling himself to
the edge of his cot and stretching his arms above his head.

“The
shower sucks,” Shyla announced.

Adrian
blinked. “Oh.” Then he fell against the cot and, within seconds, was snoring
again.

When
Imogene finally called us for breakfast, Adrian, Shyla, and I took our food and
mugs of coffee outside. We were looking forward to eating down by the lake
before the rain started in. But the gravelly rumble of a car made us pause. When
it stopped, Jasmine emerged from the back seat and stared at us as Charley and
Caleb got out.

“Don’t
go running off,” Charley called to us as we continued on our way with Caleb now
in tow. No one invited Jasmine.

“Did
you hear me?” Charley called. “I’ll need help setting up for the meeting.”

Only with
a tremendous amount of effort did I resist the temptation to roll my eyes. More
than anything I wanted to tell Charley that I wasn’t going to help at all, that
it was
her
stupid meeting, anyway, and she could do everything by herself.

But
then I remembered that dumb proverb about keeping your enemies close, which
sounded like a good idea in any case. So I mustered the sweetest smile I could
and turned to Charley. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?”

Charley
stood in the middle of Council Hall directing us how and where to set up the
metal folding chairs. We filled three-quarters of the room, arranging the
chairs in ten uniform rows.

According
to Imogene, only the eldest female member of each family was required to attend
the monthly meetings. I sincerely hoped some of the chairs would remain empty
and that the whole tribe—men, women, and children alike—wouldn’t show up just
to stare at us newcomers.

Or
rather, at
me.

“Sarah,
you will sit here.” Charley propelled me to a chair at the front of the room
and then pushed on my shoulders, forcing me to sit.

Soon
enough, people began trickling in, shaking the now-falling rain from their
clothes and umbrellas. A peal of thunder crashed overhead and a baby cried. I
rubbed my hands against my jeans, but it didn’t make my palms any less sweaty.
I just hoped the anxiety I was feeling didn’t show on my face. I tried to
imagine what I must look like and then concentrated on not looking that way,
but also not looking too disinterested either.

“What
are you doing?” Shyla hissed at me.

“Nothing,”
I whispered back. “What do you mean?”

“You
look like you’re about to pee your pants. Or worse. Relax, will you?”

“I’m
trying.” I took a deep breath and settled for looking as neutral as possible, but
all I really succeeded in doing was fidgeting in my seat.

Shyla’s
hand shot out and grabbed my knee. “Hold still. You’re making
me
nervous.”

Jasmine,
who’d been conveniently absent while we set up for the meeting, sauntered
through the door with her friends Astrid and Will. The three made their way to
the front row and found seats right in the middle—the best view in the house.
Then they sat whispering and occasionally throwing glances our way. I looked
away, intent on not paying any attention to them, and yet my eyes kept
wandering in their direction.

Caleb,
who’d gone off with Adrian for apparent male-bonding, showed up a few minutes
later. He shook his head like a dog and then ran his hand through the spiked
ends of his faux-hawk. Nodding at Shyla and me, he started to make a path down
the outside aisle toward the front of the room.

Charley
suddenly grabbed his arm and then leaned in close to whisper something in his
ear. His face hardened, and then Charley let go and walked away. Caleb took a
seat next to his sister, keeping his eyes down.

Within
ten minutes, every seat was full. Just as I had feared, people began to pile in
and stand elbow-to-elbow along the perimeter of the room. I could have sworn
they were all staring at me.

“Isn’t
this against fire code?” I whispered to Imogene, who had taken the seat next to
Shyla’s.

Before
she could answer, Charley stepped in front of the crowd and clapped her hands
to get everyone’s attention. “Members of the Katori tribe, welcome.” She smiled
as she looked around the room. “I’m pleased at such a large turnout as we come
together to welcome back old friends.”

Shyla snorted
under her breath and a nervous giggle escaped my lips. Imogene and Meg shushed
me from either side.

“It is
my pleasure to introduce Sarah Redbird, daughter of Melody Redbird and the
granddaughter of our late friends Daniel and Anna. Please, let us welcome Sarah
into our fold as the newest Spirit Keeper.”

Some
people clapped, while some sat in silence, unsure about whose side they were on.
Or maybe it was just my imagination.  

Charley
continued. “Through Shyla Hunt, the all-powerful and merciful Spirit Leader, Katori,
saved this child and blessed her with the honor and duty of being our next Spirit
Keeper.”

I was just
thinking she had a knack for theatrics when Charley turned to me, her arm
outstretched. “Sarah, stand up and give us an example of your abilities. I’m
told there are some aspects of your powers that are already very great for
someone so . . . inexperienced.”

My eyes
widened. Surely I hadn’t heard her correctly. “Pardon me?”

Charley
and I locked eyes, and for a brief moment anger flickered in her expression
like the wavering flame of a candle. “Stand up and show us what you can do,”
she said through her teeth.

Clearing
my throat, I rose on unsteady legs. I made the mistake of looking at Jasmine,
who was staring back at me with a sneer on her face. I wished I had practiced
using, rather than suppressing, my powers. I would have loved to blast Jasmine
out of her chair right then. That would have
really
gotten the crowd’s
attention.

“Whenever
you’re ready,” Charley prompted, a tight smile on her lips. Directly to my
right, Meg reached over to give my hand a reassuring squeeze and then quickly
let go.

I mentally
ran through the list of my limited powers. I’d already tried manipulating Water
that morning and pretty much failed. Wind seemed beyond my control, as well as Earth.
I hadn’t even tried anything with that element. Knowing my luck, I’d cause a
massive earthquake and widespread destruction. No, if there was one thing I
knew how to do by now, it was heal.

The
baby that had been crying when she first came in had yet to fully settle. Her
mother paced the back of the room, bouncing her over her shoulder while patting
the baby’s small back. Nothing she did could get her to calm down. Nodding decisively,
I made my way down the outside aisle. The mother seemed surprised when I
stopped in front of her.

“Do you
mind?” I held out my arms for the baby. Tufts of black hair and eyes the color
of nutmeg peeked out from under a knitted beanie. The mother, who appeared to
be not a whole lot older than I was, looked to Charley for guidance.

“It’s
okay, Nova. Sarah won’t harm your daughter.” Without a word, Nova turned back
to me and placed the squirming baby in my arms.

“What’s
her name?” I asked as I tried to get a better grip on the little girl. I’d
never held a baby before.

“Starla.”

I
smiled and cooed at the baby, but she seemed to grow even more restless and agitated.
She drew up her knees and curled her toes, and her pinched face grew redder the
harder she cried. Even without touching it, I knew the problem was the girl’s
small tummy.

“What’s
wrong with her?” I asked anyway, just to be sure.

Nova
shook her head. Lines of exhaustion carved her young face. “The doctor says
colic. It started a few weeks ago. When she starts crying, she doesn’t stop for
hours.” Nova’s chin quivered as she turned her eyes on me. “I’m just so tired.”

I
offered Nova a small, reassuring smile. “Let’s see if I can help.”

Cradling
Starla in my left arm against my chest, I put my right hand on her stomach.
Then I closed my eyes and swayed gently from side to side, blotting the rest of
the crowd from my mind. I wasn’t thinking about proving anything to the tribe
at that moment; my entire focus was on helping this one little girl and her
mother.