Uprising (Alternate Earth Series, Book 2) (13 page)

“Now what?” Mason asks.

“It’s time Xiulan tells Leah the truth,” I say, dreading that conversation for my friend.

I know from my own personal experience what it feels like to lose a mother. I can’t absorb Leah’s heartache. She’ll have to learn how to handle that on her own, but I know she’s strong enough to do it. And I’ll be there for her, every step of the way.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When we go back upstairs, we find Leah and Xiulan in the kitchen. Apparently, they decided to take it upon themselves to finish making the pie I had requested from Mason. Leah is just beginning to pour the apple filling into the piecrust while Xiulan cuts out strips of dough for the final latticework. Xiulan looks up at me expectantly. I simply nod my head to her unasked question, to which she smiles back wanly but says nothing.

“Any luck?” Leah asks me, unaware of the significance of my talk with Lucifer, and how it will ultimately affect her life forever. Mason and I walk over to the kitchen island. “Or did he give you the runaround like he normally does?”

“A little bit of both,” I admit. “He isn’t sure he can help the infected, but he’s willing to give it a try.”

Leah sets down her now-empty bowl and looks up at me.

“Now all we need to do is bring an infected person here,” she concludes. “Maybe Jai Lin would be willing to help us with that.”

“Mason,” Xiulan says, “would you mind finishing this pie for us? I need a moment to speak with my daughter.”

“I’ll do anything you need me to,” Mason replies, not only telling Xiulan that he will do the simple task she asked him to perform, but also letting her know, if she needs more, he would willing do it. “I just need to take care of one thing first.”

Mason leans over and whispers in my ear, “I’ll take Lucifer some clothes so he’s not naked when you take them down there.”

“Thank you,” I whisper just before Mason phases.

Xiulan looks back to me. “Jess, would you mind coming with us?”

“Of course,” I say, grateful that I can be there for both of them when Leah hears the truth.

“What’s wrong?” Leah asks, as perceptive as ever as she looks between her mother and me. “Why do I feel like something bad is about to happen?”

Xiulan lifts her left arm and offers Leah her hand. Leah looks at it for a moment, and I can tell by her expression that she knows taking her mother’s hand will start her on a path she might not want to go down. Hesitantly, Leah takes hold of her mother’s hand.

Xiulan leads Leah out of the room and into a small living room off the kitchen area. They don’t stop walking until they come to a bay window with a built-in, padded bench. Xiulan sits down, still holding Leah’s hand as she watches her daughter sit beside her. I take a seat on the other side of Leah, remaining close in case she needs me after she hears what her mother has to say.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” Leah says, straightening her back, as if such a small act will help her bear the weight of what Xiulan is about to tell her.

Instead of using words, Xiulan lets go of Leah’s hand and lifts the sleeve of her shirt to reveal her injury. When Leah sees it, her eyes immediately begin to water, and she starts to shake her head in denial.

“No,” Leah says determinedly, like that one word will erase what’s already been done to her mother. “That isn’t real. It can’t be.”

“Leah…” I say, understanding her wanting to reject the facts, but knowing she has to come to terms with her mother’s condition.

Leah looks over at me. “This can’t be right,” she tells me, tears spilling over her cheeks. “After working so hard to save all those strangers from becoming infected, how can God take her away from me like this? I just found her!”

“You know He doesn’t pick and choose who lives and who dies, Leah,” I tell her.

“But He could have this one time!” Leah wails. “She’s my mother!”

“Please,” Xiulan says, gently grasping one of Leah’s arms. “Please, don’t blame God for this. I certainly don’t. I’m just so thankful that He brought you back into my life, Leah, even if it was for only a short time. To be able to see you before I leave this world is a gift I never thought I would be given. My only regret is that I will not be able to stay with you long enough to see you marry your young man and begin a family of your own. I want you to always remember that no mother could be more proud than I am. You have grown to be a wonderful and loving woman. My dreams for you have all come true. It’s only because I know you are surrounded by people who love you that I can meet death without having to worry about you.”

“But I don’t want you to go…” Leah says, her voice breaking over her imminent loss. “I wanted to show you so much after we went back home.”

“You have shown me more of your life than I could have ever hoped to see,” Xiulan says, caressing Leah’s face, gently wiping away her tears. “I have seen true miracles take place right before my eyes because of who you are. So few people get to see God’s Hand at work, Leah, but I have. Thank you for that gift. I know there is nothing I can say that will take away your pain over losing me, but I want you to know that I meet my fate with a content heart. All I ever wanted was the opportunity to tell you how much I love you, and God gave me my most heartfelt wish. Please, don’t blame Him for my death. It is simply my time to move on, and I know I will see you again when it’s your time to join me in Heaven. I only ask for one thing from you.”

“What?” Leah says, wiping away her tears and doing her best to control her sorrow.

“I ask that you live a full and happy life when you go back home. Then, when we see each other again, you can tell me all about your adventures, and hopefully everything about my grandchildren. Even though I won’t have a chance to meet them for a very long time, let them know that their grandmother loves them and looks forward to meeting them one day.” Xiulan holds her arms out to Leah. “Give me one last hug so I can take the memory of your love with me.”

Leah hugs her mother as she begins to sob uncontrollably. I watch her, knowing there’s nothing I can do to erase her pain. I also know that the worst is yet to come.

“Be brave for me, my beautiful girl,” Xiulan says, holding Leah close. “I need for you to be strong, so I can face my death with dignity.”

Leah sniffs and pulls away from her mother as she wipes away her tears.

“I won’t leave your side until it’s over,” Leah promises.

“That’s all that I ask,” Xiulan says gratefully.

Xiulan stands up, silently telling us that she’s ready to go down to meet with Lucifer.

Leah stands and takes her mother’s hand. I walk ahead of them and lead the way to Lucifer’s cell. When we walk inside, he’s just buttoning the jeans that Mason brought for him to wear.

He watches us enter, but doesn’t say a word. I’m grateful that he doesn’t make any snide remarks. Maybe he’s finally learning some manners.

Without showing any fear, Xiulan walks up to the bars of Lucifer’s cell. I see her grip tighten on Leah’s hand right before she lets it go and slips it through the bars towards Lucifer.

“I am ready,” she tells him, holding her head up high, prepared to be released from her dead shell.

Lucifer glances in my direction before walking up and taking Xiulan’s hand with one of his own.

“Are you sure you’re ready?” he asks her, with more compassion than I thought him capable of showing.

“Yes,” Xiulan says, standing a little bit straighter, ready to meet death.

We all stand there, waiting for Xiulan’s soul to leave her body. Personally, I was preparing myself to catch Xiulan’s body once her soul was released from it.

But…nothing happens.

Lucifer lets go of her hand. “I’m sorry,” he tells her before glancing in my direction. “I can’t free her soul, Jessica.”

“Are you sure you even tried?” I ask accusingly, not ready to simply take him at his word.

“Yes,” Lucifer answers, not liking my question. “I promised you I would try, and I have.”

“Leah,” I say, keeping my eyes on Lucifer. “Go upstairs and bring Mason down here so he can tell us if Lucifer is being truthful or not.”

Leah immediately walks out to do as I asked.

“That isn’t necessary,” Lucifer says, sounding offended. “I’m telling you the truth.”

“Only an idiot would take you at your word about anything,” I tell him. “I’m not that naïve.”

“Do what you have to,” Lucifer says, throwing his hands up in the air. “But I can’t help this woman or any of the other infected. You’ll just have to find another way to release their souls.”

As Lucifer slowly lowers his hands back to his sides, it’s almost like I literally see a lightbulb turn on over his head.

“What were you just thinking?” I ask him.

Lucifer looks into my eyes. “While I was in Lucian’s tender care, I overheard them say you and Leah were able to combine your fires to destroy some of the birds. What occurred when the birds came into contact with your fire?”

“They disappeared,” I answer. “Why?”

“Completely?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Then that’s your solution.”

“Solution to what?”

“To releasing the souls of the infected.”

I stare at Lucifer as a cloak of dread wraps itself around my shoulders. I start to shake my head in denial.

“That can’t be the only way,” I whisper, knowing what this could mean. “I can’t ask Leah to do that, especially not to her own mother.”

Lucifer shrugs his shoulders. “It’s the only way I see to solve your problem. If one atom of her body remains, her soul will remain trapped inside it. Her body needs to be completely wiped from the Earth in order for her soul to find freedom. Whether or not you’re strong enough to do it is up to you.”

“Leah would never recover from that,” I say, more to Xiulan than to Lucifer.

“And I can’t ask that of her,” Xiulan says. “It would haunt her forever. We’ll find another way.”

“Another way for what?” Leah asks, walking in, with Mason behind her, but only hearing her mother’s last words.

“To release your mother’s soul,” Lucifer says. “I have another way.”

If looks truly could kill a person, the one I give Lucifer would have completely obliterated him.

“How?” Leah asks him hesitantly.

“Lucifer…” I say, cautioning him to be careful with what he says next.

“I believe the combination of your fire with Jess’ can release the souls of the infected,” Lucifer says. “And Mason can tell you that what I’m saying is what I truly believe.”

We all look at Mason. Mason looks at me first and simply nods his head once, confirming Lucifer’s words.

I look back at Lucifer. “Can you release Xiulan’s soul with your power, yes or no?”

“No,” Lucifer answers plainly.

I look back at Mason.

“He’s telling the truth,” Mason tells me.

No one says anything. What else is there to say? We have a way to do what needs to be done, but the personal cost of doing it is too high. I can’t ask Leah to kill her own mother. She would have to live with that memory for the rest of her life.

“Is there any other way?” I ask Lucifer. “Yes or no?”

“No,” he answers.

I don’t need Mason to confirm that Lucifer is telling me the truth. I can hear it in his voice.

“This can’t be real,” Leah says, shaking her head, fresh tears in her eyes. “Our fire can’t be the only way.”

Xiulan places her hands on Leah’s shoulders. “I will never ask you to do that.”

Leah looks at her mother. “I know you won’t. You would rather suffer through your pain than make me endure living with the memory of killing you. But, which is worse for me: knowing I’m the key to ending your pain and not helping you, or using the gift I have to release you from your prison? I don’t think I can just stand by and watch you suffer like that, Mom. I’ve seen what the infected can become. Once they lose their minds, what’s to prevent them from losing their souls, too?”

“You could lock me up somewhere,” Xiulan suggests, desperate to find a way to save her daughter from any more heartache.

“I can’t be that selfish,” Leah says with a shake of her head. “I can’t doom you to live a life of pain. I love you too much to do that to you.”

“You wouldn’t be doing it to me,” Xiulan says. “I would willingly go somewhere so you never have to see me again after today.”

“I would always know you were in pain,” Leah cries.

“You would have to forget about me,” Xiulan says.

Leah shakes her head even more vigorously. “I can’t do that.”

Leah takes a step forward and embraces her mother.

“I have to do what’s right for you,” Leah says, resting her head on her mother’s shoulder. “I have to help you cross over and find peace.”

Xiulan doesn’t say anything. She just tightens her hold on her daughter.

“I love you,” Xiulan says.

“I love you, too, Mom.”

“Can I watch to see if it works?” Lucifer asks, giving voice to his own morbid sense of curiosity.

“No,” Mason and I say in unison.

“Fine,” Lucifer says, like a petulant child denied a bowl of ice cream.

“Let’s do it outside,” Xiulan tells Leah, pulling back and smoothing her daughter’s hair around her face. “I want to feel the warmth of the sun shining down on me when I leave this Earth.”

“We’ll meet you out by the powerhouse,” I tell Leah. “I’ll get your staff.”

“Thanks, Jess,” Leah says with a sad smile.