they’re locked in there, at least that evil creature is still there. I’ve felt him, and right now, every single person here is feeling him. I’m late, and if he
escapes, everyone he kills—and he will kill over and over—will be on me.”
Riley scowled at her mother. “That’s ridiculous. You had no choice but to stay with
Dad. We’ve been delayed here over and over . . .” She trailed off. If that evil entity
was in some way influencing those traveling with them, was it so far off to think
that he could be delaying them? “How could this thing still be alive after all this
time? You’re talking five hundred years more or less.”
“He is. I feel him. You feel him. Evil lives and walks this earth, Riley, and it’s
your job—and mine—to help stop it. That’s the legacy we were given and we have no
choice. If the thing gets out into the world and kills, we’ve failed.”
“What do we do when we get up the mountain, Mom?” Riley made up her mind. No matter
what, Annabel was determined to go up that mountain and perform the ritual taught
to her by her mother before her. There would be no stopping her, no matter how worn
she looked, so Riley was getting her up that mountain and getting the job done as
quickly as possible. Her mother wasn’t living in a fantasy. She meant every word she
said. Riley heard the ring of truth in her voice.
“You know what needs to be done,” Annabel said. “I’ve taught you since you were a
child. If we succeed, you have to come to this mountain when you’re pregnant and have
your daughter here. She must be a part of the earth. The gifts are strong in you,
much stronger than they ever have been in me, or even my mother. I could feel the
earth accept you as her child the moment I put you down into the cradle crevice.”
She wiped sweat from her face. “The sun will be down soon. That’s the most dangerous
time, Riley. He’s quiet during the day, but at night, he can take command. Never underestimate
him. From what I was told, he can appear beautiful and charming but he’s wholly evil.
If something happens to me . . .”
“Mom,” Riley protested. “Don’t say that. Don’t think it. I won’t let anything happen
to you. I won’t.”
Annabel held up her hand. “We can’t pretend. There’s every possibility. And then he’ll
go after you. We’re a threat to him and he will do everything in his power to eliminate
us.”
Riley scrubbed her hand over her face, as if that could remove the clawing fear. The
energy running beneath her feet thrummed of urgency. She had become so aware of the
surrounding rain forest, of the vegetation she walked on, and now, the dirt itself,
reaching out to her with veins of information, silently screaming to hurry—hurry.
Riley forced herself to nod. Her mother needed reassurance that she could handle whatever
was thrown at them. “I think the two researchers, Gary and Jubal, know about the stories.
I asked them what was happening last night and both used the word evil , as if it was spreading across the land and influencing all of us. They’ve been keeping
a watch over us and I don’t think I could have saved you last night without them.
Ben Charger has been sticking close as well, helping to guard us. He seems to realize
something beyond the normal is influencing everyone as well, but I haven’t discussed
anything with him.”
Annabel shook her head. “You can’t really trust anyone, Riley. This thing—this evil
creature—is capable of turning anyone against us.”
“We still need allies, Mom,” Riley said. “Those men have helped us so far, and they’re
armed to the teeth. Both carry all kinds of weapons on them, some I’ve never seen
before. They didn’t seem to care, when they strapped them all on this morning, that
the guides and porters could see them. In fact, they wanted them to see—I think to help protect us.”
Annabel
escapes, everyone he kills—and he will kill over and over—will be on me.”
Riley scowled at her mother. “That’s ridiculous. You had no choice but to stay with
Dad. We’ve been delayed here over and over . . .” She trailed off. If that evil entity
was in some way influencing those traveling with them, was it so far off to think
that he could be delaying them? “How could this thing still be alive after all this
time? You’re talking five hundred years more or less.”
“He is. I feel him. You feel him. Evil lives and walks this earth, Riley, and it’s
your job—and mine—to help stop it. That’s the legacy we were given and we have no
choice. If the thing gets out into the world and kills, we’ve failed.”
“What do we do when we get up the mountain, Mom?” Riley made up her mind. No matter
what, Annabel was determined to go up that mountain and perform the ritual taught
to her by her mother before her. There would be no stopping her, no matter how worn
she looked, so Riley was getting her up that mountain and getting the job done as
quickly as possible. Her mother wasn’t living in a fantasy. She meant every word she
said. Riley heard the ring of truth in her voice.
“You know what needs to be done,” Annabel said. “I’ve taught you since you were a
child. If we succeed, you have to come to this mountain when you’re pregnant and have
your daughter here. She must be a part of the earth. The gifts are strong in you,
much stronger than they ever have been in me, or even my mother. I could feel the
earth accept you as her child the moment I put you down into the cradle crevice.”
She wiped sweat from her face. “The sun will be down soon. That’s the most dangerous
time, Riley. He’s quiet during the day, but at night, he can take command. Never underestimate
him. From what I was told, he can appear beautiful and charming but he’s wholly evil.
If something happens to me . . .”
“Mom,” Riley protested. “Don’t say that. Don’t think it. I won’t let anything happen
to you. I won’t.”
Annabel held up her hand. “We can’t pretend. There’s every possibility. And then he’ll
go after you. We’re a threat to him and he will do everything in his power to eliminate
us.”
Riley scrubbed her hand over her face, as if that could remove the clawing fear. The
energy running beneath her feet thrummed of urgency. She had become so aware of the
surrounding rain forest, of the vegetation she walked on, and now, the dirt itself,
reaching out to her with veins of information, silently screaming to hurry—hurry.
Riley forced herself to nod. Her mother needed reassurance that she could handle whatever
was thrown at them. “I think the two researchers, Gary and Jubal, know about the stories.
I asked them what was happening last night and both used the word evil , as if it was spreading across the land and influencing all of us. They’ve been keeping
a watch over us and I don’t think I could have saved you last night without them.
Ben Charger has been sticking close as well, helping to guard us. He seems to realize
something beyond the normal is influencing everyone as well, but I haven’t discussed
anything with him.”
Annabel shook her head. “You can’t really trust anyone, Riley. This thing—this evil
creature—is capable of turning anyone against us.”
“We still need allies, Mom,” Riley said. “Those men have helped us so far, and they’re
armed to the teeth. Both carry all kinds of weapons on them, some I’ve never seen
before. They didn’t seem to care, when they strapped them all on this morning, that
the guides and porters could see them. In fact, they wanted them to see—I think to help protect us.”
Annabel
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