Relics (28 page)

It took hours to sort through everything. The police wanted explanations, but I could tell they had a hard time believing what they were hearing. Seeing elves, fairies, a pixie and goblins helped some, I'm sure. Jones was able to deflect a lot of the attention. For once I was grateful for his smooth confidence. Reo was defusing things, as well, easing suspicion where it existed. He was careful though. Too much and someone else would only pick it up later.

Emergency personnel took away the bodies of our dead after the crime scene techs released them. They swarmed all over and took pictures of everything and everyone, from every angle. They weren't pleased that people had been moved, but when a detective said so to me, my temper snapped.

“We were lucky the elves came and were willing to help. I'm sorry that having more members of my family alive is such an inconvenience to you.” I stared into his startled face, shook my head in disgust and stomped off.

“That wasn't what I meant,” followed me, but I ignored him.

The hole in my heart was threatening to swallow me up and leave nothing but a void. I was worried about Thulu and grieving for my dead. I was also more scared than I'd admit about the promise I'd made to Gabriel. Nana Fae and the others tended to stay near me, but with strangers there, I didn't dare take more than surreptitious glances at them. And I had a new feeling to deal with: hatred. I didn't know how, but Gabriel was going to pay for this. I wondered if I could hire Aela to kill him.

Reo was making the rounds, comforting family. He didn't use his abilities, though, just his love and compassion. The grief needed to run its course, without interference.

Statements were given, and since my family knew of my reluctance for any attention, no mention was made of my abilities. We Thulukans drew together in our grief and kept the information at a minimum.

The police probably should have separated us, but before they could, Erik started talking in a loud, firm voice. He told how Gabriel had arrived, attacked the family and left again when the fairy had killed one of the Light Ones. Erik said he didn't know why we were attacked, and he didn't offer info about Thulu's kidnapping, the relics or anything else. There wasn't anything Earth authorities could do about any of that anyway.

The rest of the family stuck to this formula when the police started individual questioning. They gave their own viewpoints on the attack itself, but no one strayed from the basics. More emphasis was given to being blown into the wall and frozen in place, isolated from the rest of the world. We also emphasized that tiny Aela had killed a gigantic Light One and how the elves had quickly come and helped out.

That was a bit of a mistake though because the police wanted to know why a fairy, pixie and goblins were at our barbeque. Jones stepped in at that point and explained that they were friends of his. The police responded to him just as people always seemed to, and he soon had them distracted. My family moved inside, our ghosts trailing behind us.

That long, long night wore on, but eventually the police and everyone connected to their investigation went away, leaving us to deal with our grief.

Family members who had left earlier came back, silent and shocked. They filed back into the house, but not the yard, which had been taped off. I could feel the fear, anger and grief as I wandered throughout the house.

The children had been sent upstairs, and most of the kids were asleep. Angie had given charge over to some of the older kids and joined the rest of us, sitting close to her husband, Drew. Our ghosts hovered together in one corner, while Lynda-Jean stayed in another, arms crossed, staring at nothing. She gave me a weird feeling, but I just wasn't up to dealing with her.

Our guests had stayed, as had one of the elves, Sloane, the one who had helped Drew. Aela kept an arrow notched in her bow. They kept themselves at the ready for trouble, but didn't intrude on our family grief. We all waited, hoping Gabriel would keep his word to return Thulu.

I was trying to stay as quiet as possible. Since the family already knew of the relics, I didn't have to explain that part. I sat in a chair in the family room, lost in too many emotions and thoughts. I went over and over the encounter with Gabriel, but I couldn’t think of anything I could have done differently.  I tried to come to terms with the overwhelming guilt that threatened me. Lynda-Jean's earlier accusations had been echoing in my head for hours. I was half afraid someone would blame me for the attack, but deep down I knew my family wouldn't do that. The fact that this un-Earthly creature attacked us wasn't my fault. I clung to that thought tenaciously.

The combination of guilt and grief was something I later hoped I'd never go through again. It hit me just how golden our lives had always been. I was a bit ashamed at how much I'd taken for granted. I'd considered myself so strong and ready for anything, but reality had reared its ugly head, and I knew that we had changed forever. I felt young and small and not the least in control of anything, not even myself.

Just because my grandmother and Mama Deb were still available to me in a limited way didn't lessen the knowledge that I'd lost them. The two of them had filled the void left by my own mother's death. I relied on them for things I couldn't put a name to yet, but I knew it would sink in as time went on, especially when they left.

They'd been my support for the last fifteen years, and the hole in my heart ached with a physical pain. Mama Deb and Nana Fae had been there to help me as I grew up, giving me love and advice. They'd been there for me when I was a teen and helped me and Thulu plan for college. They'd planned my wedding, helped pick out the dresses and invitations and all the other little details. They had given their opinions on decorating our house and office. At every turn, they had been a large part of our lives. For once, I was glad I couldn’t have kids. At least they wouldn't miss the kids we couldn't have.

Reo sat next to me, knowing some of what was going through my head. He held my hand and gave it small, comforting squeezes.

It was into this subdued gathering that Thulu was finally returned to us. I think I stepped on people trying to get to him as he came into the kitchen from the backyard. He was bewildered, shaken and fearful, but physically unharmed. He grabbed me and looked me over carefully before turning his attention to the rest of the family, holding me close.

I saw the moment when he realized his mother was dead. He shook his head in denial, as tears filled his eyes. Mama Deb looked at her youngest child, her hands held before her in a placating gesture.

“Tell me.” Thulu's voice was raw as he looked at me.

We moved into the family room, and people made space for us to sit together. I hesitated, wondering if the cops had left us any bugs. I asked Jones, who took a quick tour around the outside of the house.

“If they have, they will no longer work. Nor can they use listening devices from outside.”

Assured that I could speak truthfully, I filled Thulu in on what happened after he'd been thrown through the portal. The events took a lot longer to tell than the time it took for them to happen.

Several times I had to stop as I described the aftermath of Gabriel's visit. Others cried quietly when I explained what had happened to Mama Deb, Nana Fae and Evan. No one cried over Lynda-Jean, and no one interrupted me. When I was done, the silence stretched for a long time.

“You did good, Fi,” my husband said quietly, kissing the top of my head. “You did the best anyone could do. Tomorrow we will figure out what to do. Not tonight.” He looked around. “Does anyone have anything to add?  Is there more?”

“She covered it all, son,” said Erik, his voice rough and cracked with emotion.

“Now you,” I said. “What happened to you?”

Thulu took a deep breath. “I barely had a chance to see much. I got the impression of a green swamp before the Light One snatched me up again. God, that felt weird - being picked up like a child. He just shoved me through another portal, then another and another. I think the portals had all been opened before and left so we'd get through faster.

“The last stop was on a barren, red desert. The sun was the wrong color and beat down mercilessly. It was like walking into an oven. Someone had put up a cloth shelter, and it gave some shade. But, god, that sun was searing, blazing hot and definitely not Earth's. A few minutes after we got there, the portal winked out. Pretty much crushed my hope that I'd get out that way. The Light One shoved me to the ground under the shelter.

“I was worried sick about what might be happening back here. I tried to question the Light One, but the bastard completely ignored me. So, I stood up. Boy, did he pay attention then.” Thulu shook his head. “That thing was fast. I mean lightning fast. He was standing over me with his hand around my throat before I could blink. I honestly thought he was going to kill me. I froze, and he eventually let me go. I sat back down very slowly and carefully. As soon as I did, he completely lost interest again. I was there six, maybe seven hours. It seemed like days in that heat, though. He gave me some water when I asked, so at least I knew he wasn't deaf.” I could feel his body shake and wondered if it was shock or fear, before I realized it was barely contained fury. 

“Finally, Gabriel showed up. He opened a portal and said, 'The woman made a promise. You will see to it she keeps it.' 
He just picked me up and carried me back through the portals and threw me through the last one.

. I landed here in the backyard.”

We were all quiet for a few moments. I was thankful that Thulu was safe and squeezed his hand tightly.

Thulu looked around the room. “Tonight this family has seen first-hand why these creatures need to be fought. The Light Ones are dangerous to our world, to our lives and to our way of life. My wife and I will fight them. We'll do everything we can to prevent them from invading our home.” His voice was firm. “And Gabriel will pay for what he has done to our family.”

I looked up and saw a man I'd never seen before inside my Thulu's eyes. His anger was implacable, his boyish charm nowhere to be seen. As we looked steadily at each other, I realized the night had changed us both. We'd finally grown up, and that fact saddened me. Even more though, for the first time, I saw what a truly dangerous man my husband could be. And that made me glad.

Sleep was hard to come by for most of us that night. Some got in little naps, but the shock, pain and grief were almost a physical entity, preventing much more than that. All of our guests left, expressing their condolences. Aela said she was leaving a guard on the house.

Jones and Stuart remained behind. Jones took me aside to tell me he was sorry for not protecting the property.

“It never occurred to me that he would come here. I have no idea how he found that girl he killed, either, La Fi. I am so sorry this has happened. I feel I have let you all down.”

I looked at Jones in shock. “This wasn't your fault. I never thought about asking you to put up wards. None of us did. The only blame here belongs to Gabriel.”

“He will pay for this. I promise you that.”

I smiled stiffly. “On that we are in perfect agreement.”

I moved away to interpret messages between our dead and the rest of the family. It took a long time, but I was thankful for the distraction.

Reo tried to talk to Lynda-Jean, but she refused to answer him, continuing her stare into nothing. Nana Fae went over to her and finally snapped her out of her trance. Lynda-Jean glared at her, looked around until she met my eyes and said quite clearly, “It's all your fault.”

I didn't bother to answer her, but Reo did. “Oh really?  La Fi isn't the one who betrayed us to Gabriel. You did that all on your own.”

Those members of our family in the room looked around at Reo's voice. Thulu looked at Lynda-Jean as she moved in front of me.

“You corrupted my son. The angel promised to make me happy and remove you and save Carter before it was too late.”

“You knew Carter can see the dead.” I made it a statement.

She shook her head in denial. “No, not for sure, not until Gabriel showed up and said he could. All I had to do was give him some information about your evil abilities.”