CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
No one could see him because he was well-hidden in the clock tower. Even if someone on the ground looked directly at the window they wouldn’t see him. The room was too dark and too far away for human eyes to see into.
Wisteria looked like a Thayn, Bach thought as he watched her weeks later, hurrying into her home, followed by Garfield. Her expression was blank and lifeless. He couldn’t comprehend why she’d chosen to remain on the Isle of Smythe when she looked so unhappy.
This was the tenth time he had come back to the Isle of Smythe since the day she was almost taken by Red Phoenix. The aim each time was to convince her to leave with him, but he never spoke to her and ended up watching her instead.
Perhaps he was being unreasonable. After all, he had three brothers and he loved them. Was asking a human to part with a brother any different? Bach wasn’t sure, since she was only human. He stood, watching the quiet streets of the Isle of Smythe, unsure of what to do next.
The sun started to rise. “So you still have not decided what you are going to do?” Enric said when he arrived in the tower. “I am getting tired of your pointless journeys.”
“I thought about renewing her. If I did that, she would have no choice, but to come with me.” He had decided against it, as he still didn’t want humans around him. Wisteria was the exception—the only exception.
“A free Terran would never be allowed in Jarthan and even less at home,” Enric replied. “You will eventually have to leave her behind or remain on Terra until she dies. I would suggest the first option. Otherwise, the empirics may come after you.”
“Do you ever think about Piper? She served you for almost two years.”
Enric shrugged. “I had a bird that died as a child once. I think about her like that sometimes.”
“Your nighthawk Tak-Tak? You hated that bird.”
“I did not hate it; she was just irritating.”
“The bird or Piper?”
“Both,” Enric replied. “At least Tak-Tak could be easily trained. I am disappointed I allowed Felip to manhandle her and set her to do the things that she did. I hope with the new Thayn your brother has lent to me that things will be better.”
They finally left unseen and unheard over the walls of the island. They raced through the empty streets of Norton, past the abandoned houses, heading out of the county, toward Hammond Village.
Bach had fully regenerated so this journey would be over in a few hours.
“Are you going back tomorrow?” Enric asked as they ran.
“No, this was the last time.”
“You have said that for the last ten days.”
As they reached the den in Hammond Village, the piron net around the fence parted as they entered the grounds. Inside the mansion, they made their way underground.
He wasn’t prepared to return home, as he hadn’t decided whether or not he wanted to complete the Great Walk early. There was unfinished business for him on Terra. So, once he’d regenerated in Jarthan, he returned herealone, with Enric visiting occasionally. Bach remained alone, undisturbed until he felt ready to rejoin the Family. Entering the underground mansion he was startled to see two figures waiting for him.
As he entered the room, the figures moved toward him slowly. Their green eyes were fixed on him.
“Hello brother.” Yordi, Bach’s twenty-two year old brother and Sen-Son of the third house stood regally in the center of the room.
The other person was Lluc, who stood furthest away and from his troubled expression, Bach could tell they’d been discussing him.
“Welcome brothers,” Bach greeted.
“Enric, can you please leave us?” Yordi ordered.
“Of course, Prime.” Enric departed
“Our father demanded you return home but you have not. Why?” Lluc inquired.
Bach hadn’t spoken to Lluc since they fought. Mainly because Bach couldn’t admit how hurt he was about Wisteria. That would only prove to his older brother that the human girl had contaminated his mind, proving he was weak. “You cannot keep on interrupting my Great Walk. It somewhat defeats the purpose of finding oneself. I do not have to go home until I have completed my days here.”
“What reason do you have to stay?” Lluc asked.
“Maybe I do not want people questioning my honor or my place when I return.”
“But things are different if the humans have obsidian crystal,” Lluc said. “And with Red Phoenix back, this must be left to the empirics.”
“If you have come to convince me to return, then you have wasted a journey.” Bach crossed his arms over his chest.
“We are here because we need to talk to you about something important,” Yordi announced. “Lluc has explained the real reason you cannot leave that island.”
“Lluc discussed this with you?” Bach glared accusingly at the middle child.
“I had to,” Lluc maintained. “You were acting like you were possessed.”
“What is going on here is between me and Lluc. I will not discuss her with you!”
Yordi burst out laughing. “Bach, I would not travel here to discuss something as trivial as a Thayn. You are here to learn and have fun. You would not be the first of us to get carried away,” Yordi sneered at Lluc. “You underestimate Bach.”
Lluc remained indignant. “No, Prime. This matter is serious—”
“Lluc, he is not like you. Terrans have no influence over him,” the Prime teased.
“Qwaynide!” Lluc swore.
“So why are you here?” Bach asked.
“Felip,” Yordi answered.
“Our cousin?” Bach stated.
“Cousin?” Yordi remarked with venom in his voice. “Do not call him that. The ungrateful d’cara, he is at the top of every empiric’s black list.”
“Felip never brought the obsidian crystal you gave him to our home,” Lluc explained. “We do not know where he has gone with it.”
“What would he want with that much obsidian crystal? It is useless,” Bach pointed out. “Anyone who journeys with it will die.”
“We know that Bach, but he took it for a reason. Lluc and I will be looking into it at home,” Yordi stated categorically. “The Sen does not want Felip’s actions to be known outside the Third Pillar. He will send an investigator, an empiric, to that island to find out why and how they were able to make the obsidian crystal.”
“If you are handling this then why are you here?” Bach noticed several Thayns moving in the darkness. They were Yordi’s Thayns as he travelled with a large contingent . “That is no reason to interrupt my Great Walk. You all need to leave.”
“You almost sound like you are not happy to see us?” Yordi looked disturbed by Bach’s statement and his green eyes turned darker.
“No Prime.” Bach was happy to see his brothers, but he wanted his brothers gone before they learned he’d bonded with the human and how strongly felt about her. “I am just tired.”
Yordi nodded. “They offered to let you live among them, knowing you are not one of them. We must use that to our advantage.”
Bach was puzzled and did not like the feeling he was getting. “What do you want from me?”
“For you to return back to the Isle of Smythe,” the Prime said.
“Yordi, we did not agree to this. The Terrans only want him on the island for their own agenda. Sending him back to the Terrans is madness,” Lluc protested. “Bach, you will not go back there.”
“I am the Prime, little brother, and you cannot dictate to me. You have to remember your place.” Yordi sneered at Lluc. “I do not need to consult with you when deciding what is best for my younger brothers.”
Lluc’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t speak.
“I am the Prime,” Yordi reminded Lluc. “Remember that. And it would be better for Bach to finish the Great Walk instead of coming home early because our papa said so. Then, everyone will know he is a man.”
“You do not understand,” Lluc maintained.
“Vadda,” Yordi bellowed and the floors of the apartment shook. “Lluc? Speak one more time. Just once more, and we will see how understanding I can be.”
Lluc backed away from Yordi and no one spoke for a while.
“Lluc, if I do not understand then please explain,” Yordi grumbled. “What is the worst thing that could happen with him there? The empirics will be with him, so what will be the problem?”
Lluc grimaced, but didn’t say a word.
Then it dawned on Bach that only Lluc knew what happened to him during his time on Terran, years before. About Wisteria and the Mosroc bonding Bach shared with her. He wondered now why Lluc hid this from everyone.
“Return to them. The empiric will join you soon. You are to make sure that Terrans do not reject who we send,” Yordi decreed.
“So you expect me to spend the remainder of my time among those people?” Bach had mixed emotions about returning the island. Even with Coles’s apology, he couldn’t trust them. And with Wisteria’s rejection, he wasn’t sure he wanted to go back. It hurt too much.
“I know as part of this rite of passage you must choose your own way.” Yordi’s tone became more subdued. “But the Sen needs to send someone he trusts. We do not want to get other Houses involved”.
“I do not believe that for a moment. And even if that were true, this is not just a problem of the Third Pillar. If the Terrans are trying to enter our realm, then that is everyone’s concern. Therefore, the Family should be informed,” Bach replied.
“I agree with Bach,” Lluc finally spoke up. “Tell the Family and let the Seven decide on the best course of action.”
“You are behaving like women,” Yordi snarled at Lluc.
“My concern is for my brother. Let him come home, where he will be safe.”
“Are you implying I do not care about Bach’s welfare? How dare you make such an accusation against me, your Prime?” Yordi fumed. “We do not know who helped Felip from the other Houses. We cannot just let anyone get involved.”
“Exactly, we do not know. So we cannot send him back to those animals,” Lluc persisted.
“Enough,” Bach shouted. “This is my decision!”
The room fell silent again, while the two brothers glared at each other.
“I wish we could just renew them all?” Yordi muttered.
“Start renewing them all and the Terrans may do something drastic like harm themselves and we will not get our answers,” Lluc commented. “For some reason, they do not see the renewal as a gift.”
“They are quite stupid.” Yordi chuckled. “Bach, what are you going to do?”
“I will return.” Bach nodded.
“Do not do this!” Lluc implored.
“It is settled.” Yordi grinned. “Girl, bring sandwine, I am thirsty again,” Yordi barked at Nular who stood in the shadows. “Now!”
Nular glanced at her liege briefly and left the room.
Lluc walked up to Bach and whispered. “We both know why you are returning there. If something happens between you and the Terran, blood will be shed over it.”
* * * * *
The next day, Wisteria and David stood side by side on the hill behind Saint Luke’s chapel. Then they inched their way back under an oak tree as it started to rain.
Garfield walked over to get them under his umbrella. He grimaced when he noticed Amanda, standing next to Wisteria’s brother, holding his hand.
Mumbling something to the pretty blond haired girl, David kissed her.
Seeing that Amanda was there for her brother made Wisteria glad. “Thanks for coming. I know this must’ve been hard for you.” She hugged Garfield.
“Weddings and funerals, that’s what friends do, right?” Garfield replied. “And it’s your mother. Of course I’d be here.”
It was two weeks since she last spoke to her mother and two weeks since Bach vanished again. At least he wasn’t dead.
David had found some red flowers for the event.
Wisteria hadn’t bothered. At first she considered bringing some bean vine her mother liked, but realized her mother only grew the wisteria plant as protection from Bach and not because she loved it. Wisteria hadn’t any idea what her mother really liked or any clue as to who Lara Kuti or Demi was, aside from being a chronic liar.
“This might be more fitting.” Walking over to her, Coles gave her a yellow rose.
Forcing a small smile, she took it from him.
“You almost look happy that my mother’s here,” Wisteria remarked
“That’s because I am happy.” Coles’s face broke into a smile.
“But she lied to you too and to everybody. Aren’t you furious?”
“And you haven’t told your brother what happened. That makes you a liar too.”
Glancing at her brother, she nodded because she was afraid to tell him the reason Red Phoenix had come to the island was because she led them here. They were on the island and their mother was shot because of her. Telling him would just scare him and she wanted to protect him. No, maybe she was just ashamed of herself?
“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God…” Jason Webb, the vicar of Saint Luke’s, read aloud to the small crowd.
“We’re going to have more than enough time to fight with Major Coles… or can we call you dad?” David taunted.
The boy’s remark caught Wisteria off guard and she chuckled.
The smirk on Coles’s face disappeared for moment. “I dare you.”
The church doors opened and Lara Kuti slowly hobbled out on a cane, having made it clear to everyone she fully intended to walk up here unaided. She slowly advanced and carefully made her way up the small incline to where the rest of the wedding party stood.
“Your mum looks so beautiful,” Amanda said to David.
The girl was right. Her mother did look amazing in a mid-length floral dress, her hair draped down her neck while adorned with wild flowers.
“I can’t believe she was shot two weeks ago and now she’s walking,” Amanda continued.
“Jason says it was a miracle,” David bragged. “But Mum’s strong.”
“A miracle,” Wisteria muttered. While she agreed it was a miracle her mother was alive, she was frustrated her mother wouldn’t tell her the whole story about this miracle. She glancing up at the clock tower.
“You know the clock’s broken?” Garfield reminded her.
Before she could answer, the crowd of a few hundred people cheered as her mother approached the top of the hill where Coles and Andrew stood.
“She must be really well-liked,” Amanda noted.
“Nah, they’re just afraid of Coles,” Garfield replied and the kids all laughed.
“We haven’t had a wedding in Smythe in …?” Wisteria’s voice trailed off as she tried to remember.
“Never. This is the first one since the world went mad.” Joining them, Steven turned to Wisteria. “Your hair looks nice.”
Running her hand over her short hair, she backed away. “Thanks.” Amazingly, her hair grew over an inch over the three weeks since Hailey attacked her. That never happened with her type of hair.
Steven gazed curiously at her. “You look—”
“Steven.” Hailey approached them. “We shouldn’t be here. This is for friends of the bride.”
“Hailey.” Steven seemed embarrassed. “Give me five minutes.”
“Yeah, so you both better leave.” Wisteria picked up the guitar Bach had given to her for her fake birthday.
“Wisteria, you need to play,” Jason called out to her. “We’re starting.”
“Go on, Steven!” Wisteria insisted. “This isn’t one of your games.”
He skulked off, seemingly hurt, but Wisteria seriously doubted that. Steven always landed on his feet, on Hailey—or on whichever other girl who might be hanging around.
Watching her mother approach, Wisteria started playing Ise Oluwa on her strings. As her mother reached the top of the hill, the only assistance she accepted was when Coles reached out and took her arm. They kissed before walking over to Jason, who started the wedding ceremony.
“So are you going to change your last name?” Garfield whispered as he watched the ceremony. “Wisteria Kuti Coles.”
Wisteria kicked him in the leg.
The wedding ceremony was over in twenty minutes and soon everyone was enjoying the free flowing apple juice and moonshine. The atmosphere was unusually relaxed and even Coles laughed a few times, but then it was his wedding day.
As soon as everyone seemed preoccupied, Wisteria slipped away, as she didn’t feel like being social. As she made her way home, she stopped and looked back up the hill as her mother and step-father flirted with each other. Then it dawned on her that she was never going to see her real father again. Now her mother had Coles, she wouldn’t leave him, even if an opportunity to leave presented itself.
“Wisteria,” her mother called.
Seeing her mother hobbling over, Wisteria stopped so the woman could catch up.
“You still haven’t chosen to forgive me?” her mother said as she reached Wisteria.
“Congratulations Mum.” She tried to show some emotion other than anger.
“Do you plan to be mad at me for the rest of your life?”
“Of course I have forgiven you. You’re my mother.” But that did not feel true.
Her mother chewed at her lip and then kissed Wisteria’s forehead. “Forgive me? Elliot thinks I owe you an apology,” her mother said. “But he’s wrong. I won’t say sorry, because I did what I needed to do. You’ll get past this. I’m your mother after all.”
“You’re never going to tell me the truth. Are you?”
“The truth—is I love you.” Her mother tried to hug her again but Wisteria raised her hands. “And I know despite this, you love me too.”
“I love you and that’s why your lying is so painful.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t care that the woman had been lying for years.
“Wisteria, you’re not angry with me for lying. You’re hurt because you blame yourself for bringing those people into the town, but it wasn’t your fault, baby. Those men and that crazy woman were monsters and they’d have found a way here, with or without you. You’re not to blame for what they did.”
Even though Wisteria wanted to be convinced, she wasn’t. “I’m tired. I was just going to lie down for a few minutes.”
The older woman made a face, indicating she didn’t buy Wisteria’s story, but she allowed Wisteria to leave without any further words.
Grateful to be alone, Wisteria trudged downhill and into the town. As she walked past Mulberry Orchard, a chill went through her, with the memories of all that transpired there. Images of Rupert and the other members of Red Phoenix flashed across her mind. Speeding up, she shook her head, clearing her thoughts.
Normally, she avoided walking this way, but it was the only way to Saint Luke’s. Rebecca or Garfield had offered to walk back with her but Wisteria didn’t want anyone else thinking she needed protection. But she knew at that moment she needed a little support.
A tall shadow fell over her shoulder.
Looking over , she saw a pair of green eyes watching her. “Bach, what are you doing here? We said everything before.” Increasing her pace, she continued on her way, but then he appeared in front of her.
“You lied to me,” he said.
“I don’t want to discuss this in public.”
“We are alone.”
Looking around, she found he picked the perfect spot to corner her, as they were hidden by a hedge. He moved toward her with his bright green eye boring into her soul. It made her nervous when he stared at her that intently. Especially, as she was still an emotional and physical wreck, she didn’t want him to see her like this.
“How are you?” he spoke after few moments of silence.
“I have been better.” Smiling, she forced herself to walk past him.
“Your mother is marrying your friend Coles.”
“Coles is marrying someone. I don’t know who she is.”
“Your mother?”
“If she really is my mother. I’ve no idea, not a clue, who or what she is. Then she says that I’m not angry at her. That I’m upset with myself because I brought Red Phoenix here,” she scoffed.
“Wisteria, you do blame yourself for what happened here, even though you should not. I can see it on your face.”
“I should blame myself. I brought those monsters here.”
“Because of me?”
“No, because of me. I’m such an idiot. I didn’t know who my mother was or that she knew all about you and your Family. I should’ve paid better attention. I’m sure the signs were there. She almost died for nothing, Bach.” She breathed out violently and prevented herself from crying.
“Wisteria, she was trying to protect you.”
“That’s why you left? You wanted to protect me too? Because I’m such a fragile little fool and everyone has to protect me.” She stilled and looked at him. “Thanks again for helping the town and I hope that life treats you well.” Calming herself, she started to walk away.
“Do not leave like this. I can see you are upset.” He slipped his arm around her waist.
“Ha!” She laughed bitterly. “Don’t worry, I won’t break. Do what you need to do, but I’m done being part of it.”
“Wisteria, I left the first time because I was afraid if you knew what my people really were you would hate me, and I left the second time because I know what your people can do and I hate that.”
“You came back to the island to tell me this?” Prying his fingers from her waist, she warned, “Don’t Bach, do not try and convince we me to go shack up with you. What the hell was your plan? Do you know how insane it was?”
“No, I came to Smythe to find the red stone. It is important to us and Felip stole it from me. My family has asked that I return here to find out how it was made.”
“You want something and you expect me to help you because you helped me?”
“No, I came because… my Family will kill me if they know I have told you.”
“So why did you tell me?”
“Because I care about you, Wisteria. I would not have told you about the obsidian crystal if I did not. It was the only way I could think of, so my people would let me stay here.” He stepped up to her and she moved back until she was up against a tree. “And I need you to love me.”
His fingers grazed her neck and it tingled. Having him so close made her feel light-headed. “Why did you say I lied to you?” She had to remain in control.
“Because you act like you do not want me, when I know that you do.” Gently, he ran his fingers through her short hair. “Why did you not ask me to stay? I would have stayed.”
“I did ask you to stay,” She recalled and pushed him away. “But you wanted me to be your servant.”
Moving to the side, he let her pass. “No, you said Coles said I could stay.”
“Are you saying…? Let me get this straight, you’d stay if I asked you? That doesn’t make any sense.” If she’d any doubt in her mind before that this boy wasn’t human, it was gone. His logic wasn’t like any other boy she’d known. He almost sounded like he loved her. Shaking her head, she attempted to move away from him. Those things didn’t happen to Wisteria Kuti.
“I do love you.” He brushed his hand against hers.
She entwined her fingers into his. “You can read my mind?”
“No.” He laughed. “But I can read your face. You bite your lips in at least seven different ways, depending on your mood.”
“Really?” Realizing she was biting her bottom lip again, she stopped. “Okay, what am I saying now?” She stuck out her tongue.
Instead of answering, Bach leaned in and kissed her.
Stunned at first, she reached up on her tip-toes and kissed him back. She leaned into his arms and he lifted her up, his lips remaining on hers. Wisteria didn’t know what might happen in their precarious future, but she did know that she loved him and now he’d admitted that he loved her as well.
