Shimmer: The Rephaim Book 3 (24 page)

I have a sudden image of Zarael threatening Brother Stephen in the car park, enjoying the monk’s fear and then disappearing without him. Maybe that wasn’t the plan. My eyes drop to the neckline of his robe. ‘That crucifix is made of iron, isn’t it, like Virginia’s pendant?’

Stiff fingers involuntarily find the shape through the fabric. ‘It is all the protection I have ever had. That, and my faith.’

Jude drags a chair over the concrete and sits down. His hair is damp and starting to form ringlets to his shoulders. He used to hate that when we were kids and then he discovered how much the girls loved it. Our fake life was so much simpler.

‘How do you know the revelations come from heaven and not somewhere else?’ He directs the question to Brother Stephen.

Silence.

‘Brother,’ Micah says. ‘You can tell us, or I can shift you to Nathaniel and the Five right now and you can explain it to them.’

He touches his broken arm and winces. ‘It was my great-grandmother who first dreamed of the Fallen, of their children and what would become of them. An angel presented her with a set of scales—a sign that our family would be the balance. She heard battle horns and when she woke from her reverie she was holding a feather.’

‘Which means…?’

‘It means that Michael spoke to her.’

The Captain of the Angelic Garrison. I expect Micah to scoff at the story but he doesn’t and his silence makes me uneasy.

‘When was this?’ Jude asks.

‘The year the hybrids were born.’

‘And there have been other visions?’

The monk’s eyes flit to Virginia and away. ‘Irregular, but yes.’

It’s not as consistent as the seer line in Dani’s family, but close enough to sound plausible. Does that mean Dani’s visions come from an archangel—maybe even the same one?

‘Whose blood did you use to create the wards?’

The monk’s eyes drop to the table.

‘Did you help yourself to blood-soaked bandages in the infirmary?’

‘Of course I didn’t.’ The monk seems genuinely repulsed by the idea. And even if he did, he still had to get them to the other side of the world before the blood dried.

‘Jason gave us his blood,’ Virginia says.

I click my tongue. ‘Micah, can you get Jason, please?’

Micah is still fixated on Brother Stephen, as if the elderly monk’s betrayal will start to make sense if he stares at him long enough.

‘Micah.’

Micah gives me an impatient sigh. ‘Don’t let them out of your sight.’ He disappears.

Virginia fiddles with her charm bracelet even though Daniel has the protective iron pendant that used to hang there. ‘Nathaniel knows about Jason? He’s here?’

‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘Even after all those decades of manipulation, he still ended up at the Sanctuary.’ She doesn’t need to know the circumstances, and Micah and Jason appear before she can ask.

‘Are you all right? Have they hurt you?’ Jason’s concern for Virginia is genuine and she has the decency to appear uncomfortable. Jason glances at Jude and me. ‘I’m glad you’re both okay.’ He scans the courtyard. ‘Is it safe to be in here?’

‘For the moment.’ I press my fingertips into my eyelids. God, I need to sleep. ‘Did you know Virginia’s related to the good brother here?’

Jason opens his mouth, closes it. Frowns.

‘He’s the one who provided the collection of photos at the farmhouse. It turns out Nathaniel’s had Virginia’s uncle here helping out for about sixty years. And Virginia just told us your blood sealed the trap.’

‘She what?’ Jason’s surprise shifts to something stronger. He stares at Virginia. ‘How is that possible, given I didn’t know that room existed until two days ago and I’ve never given you a drop of my blood?’

Virginia turns her face away.

‘It wasn’t me,’ he says. ‘There has to be someone else. Another Rephaite.’

Virginia stands up so fast she bumps her leg against the table, making her grimace. ‘Why am I still here? The house is gone, the room is destroyed—’ She stops.

‘Hang on,’ I say. ‘How do you know about the house?’

She looks to the monk again, but he doesn’t meet her gaze.

‘Brother Stephen didn’t tell you. He didn’t know.’

Virginia’s nostrils flare. She stays on her feet, fists clenched at her side.

‘Oh fuck…’ I spring to my feet. I move too quick and the tomato bushes blur together for a second. I reach for the table.

‘What?’ Jude steadies me.

There’s only one answer: ‘Mya.’

TWISTED FAMILY TREE

‘What’s Mya?’ Jude asks.

‘She shifted into the room after the door was locked.’

‘So?’

‘You think it’s a coincidence she’s the only Rephaite not restricted by the iron?’

‘But you got out—’

‘After she smeared her blood over every point the wings touched.’

‘Oh. Shit.’ Jude frowns. ‘Maybe Debra told her how to do it when she questioned her?’

‘Then why not tell us?’ I turn to Virginia. ‘Debra used Mya’s blood to activate the ward.’ It’s not a question and she doesn’t answer. ‘And Mya’s already been here to see you since we got back from Iowa to tell you about the farmhouse. Hasn’t she?’

With so much shifting going on here at the moment, she could’ve easily shifted in and out undetected. All she had to do was make sure Virginia was alone first.

‘Why would Mya do that? I know she doesn’t respect Nathaniel, but—’

‘She is our cousin.’

Wait. What?

Brother Stephen clears his throat, swallows. ‘She has been a part of this from the beginning.’

I sink back onto the hard seat. The iron women of Iowa are Mya’s family—her human family. Just like Dani and Maria are mine, Jude’s and Jason’s. Bloody hell.

We sit with the news in silence. And, slowly, a few more things make sense.

The fact Mya was such a mess in the cornfield after the attack. She wasn’t hung over, she was grieving for Sophie and Louise.

The fact she could snatch up Debra, even though Virginia’s daughter must have had an iron trinket. Debra left of her own free will because she
knew
Mya. Trusted her.

The fact she knew what to do in the iron room.

And then there’s the fact she stayed at the Sanctuary today even though she hates the place. It was because Virginia was a prisoner here.

Jason wanders into the rain. He stands there, dazed, his blond curls turning dark. ‘All this time, you had a member of the Rephaim in your family?’ He waits for Virginia to look at him, but she’s focused somewhere to his left. ‘Did Mya know about me?’

‘No,’ Brother Stephen says.

That explains her reaction to Jason in Pan Beach—and her obsession with his connection to the farmhouse. ‘And keeping them in the dark about each other—was that another failsafe in your plan to prevent the Rephaim uniting?’ I ask.

The monk glances at Virginia, nods once.

Micah links his fingers behind his neck. ‘I don’t know what Nathaniel’s going to do when he hears about this.’

‘Micah.’ Jude gets up from the table. ‘We need to talk to Mya before we do anything that puts her at risk. And the Outcasts should hear about this before Nathaniel and the Five.’

‘You’re kidding, you want me to sit on this?’ He lets his hands drop.

‘Nobody’s at risk.’

‘You don’t know that. And given you don’t remember what it’s like to be a part of this circus, you don’t know what you’re asking. Mya and Brother Stephen are
spies
.’

I catch his eye. ‘Micah—’ ‘Don’t, Gabe, it’s too much to ask. You don’t owe Mya anything.’

Aside from the fact she’s saved my life. Twice. And Ez and Zak definitely need to be in the loop on this before Nathaniel and the Five. I owe them at least that. ‘I know what it’s like to have everyone here treat you like a traitor.’

‘She
is
a traitor.’

‘Just give us time to tell her crew and get her side of the story,’ Jude says.

‘No way.’

‘Come on, Micah,’ I say. ‘Please.’

He looks at me, levelly.

‘I thought you trusted my judgment.’

‘Not fair, Gabe.’

I wait.

Micah takes a breath and lets it out impatiently. ‘Fine. One hour.’

‘Can’t you at least wait until we know if Rafa’s okay?’ It comes out flayed, raw.

He rubs his neck, calculates something. ‘Okay, you’ve got three hours. And then I have to take this to Daniel.’

BRUISES AND SPONGE BATHS

The drizzle is heavier now. Water runs along the gutters and drips onto the pavers in a steady rhythm. I stop outside the infirmary.

‘Do you want to check on Rafa?’ Jude asks.

Do I? What if nothing’s changed? What if he’s worse? I’m still standing there in damp clothes, shivering, when Jude puts his hand on my back and guides me through the doors. Our boots squeak on the lino in the hallway. My legs are jerky: they don’t feel like they belong to me. The smell of antiseptic grows stronger.

The infirmary door opens just before we reach it and Zak steps into the hallway. He stops abruptly. ‘Hey, I was on my way to find you.’

‘What’s happened?’ Jude asks. His grip tightens on my hoodie.

Zak doesn’t answer, he simply holds the door open. I step through first and my heart stumbles. Rafa is sitting on the side of the bed. His sliced shirt hangs open, his chest and abdomen still caked in dried blood.
Dried
blood.

‘Gaby…’ His voice is ragged. I reach him in three steps and put my arms around him, careful not to hurt him. He leans into me. He manages to lift one hand to my hip. It slides off. He’s still so weak.

‘Careful,’ Brother Ferro says. ‘The transfusion has stopped the bleeding but he still needs to heal. That’s the next test.’

Rafa mumbles something into my shoulder. Possibly my name again. I slide my fingers through his hair, soaked with sweat. There’s so much I want to say to him, but not in here and not in front of anyone else.

‘Gabriella, you need to let Zachariah heal him now.’

I nod at Brother Ferro, give Rafa’s wrist a gentle squeeze, and step back. Malachi is sitting up now too, watching Brother Benigno take the IV needle from his arm. It’s an effort, but Rafa twists so he can see him. ‘I owe you one.’

Malachi glances back at Taya. ‘No,
compagno
, we’re square.’

I realise Daniel has been standing by Taya’s bed all this time. He doesn’t speak.

‘We’ll shift around the compound,’ Zak says to me. ‘Straight back, I promise.’

They disappear. I close my eyes, breathe in antiseptic and bleach, start to count to ten to calm myself. Cold air stirs against my skin before I get to five. They’re back. Rafa keeps his arm around Zak for support. He gives me a tired half-smile. His face looks better, less shiny and purple, and his left eye is no longer swollen shut. Brother Ferro is straight in to check his wounds, probing, prodding. ‘Praise the saints, they’ve closed over.’ The monk leans over the bed and pats Malachi on the knee. ‘Good job.’

Rafa looks around for Jude. ‘You intact?’

Jude gives a short laugh, touches the dried blood above his ear. ‘Yeah, buddy. I’m fine.’

‘You hold your own?’

‘I did okay.’

Brother Ferro waves Jude and me away. ‘Rafael needs a shot of antibiotics and a sedative.’

‘I don’t need sleep,’ Rafa mutters, struggling to keep his eyes open.

‘That’s exactly what you need.’ Brother Ferro pulls off his latex gloves and tosses them into the bin. ‘But first we’ll clean you up and dress those wounds properly. Zachariah, could I trouble you for some help there too?’

A tired laugh rumbles out of Rafa. ‘A sponge bath from you two? Shit, this makes it all worthwhile.’

‘The rest of you can go now,’ Brother Ferro says. ‘You too, Gabriella. Rafael needs rest. His body has taken a lot of punishment.’

I think about arguing, decide not to. I move closer to Rafa, fiddle with a corner of his torn shirt. ‘See you when you wake up.’

Rafa runs his fingers along my forearm. ‘We’re staying here?’

‘For now.’

His eyes stray to my lips. ‘Okay.’

‘Come on buddy, let’s get you to the washroom.’ Zak changes his grip on Rafa.

‘Put him in my room when he’s ready to rest.’

Zak looks at me over his shoulder. ‘You want me to leave him in your bed?’

I nod, conscious that Daniel is watching. Brother Ferro hustles them along before I can see Rafa’s reaction. The door clicks shut and there’s an awkward silence.

‘How’s Taya?’ I ask.

‘Doing better.’ Malachi holds cotton wool inside his elbow where his IV was. ‘She was awake a few minutes ago. Brother Benigno gave her something so she’d keep sleeping. I’ll shift with her again in a while.’

‘But she’s healing okay?’

‘Yeah. She didn’t lose anywhere near as much blood as Rafa.’

‘Thank you.’ I say it quietly.

A shrug. ‘What’s a bit more blood out of me today?’ He looks exhausted. ‘So what are you going to do now?’

‘That’s a good question,’ Daniel says, crossing the room. ‘What happens when the Outcasts are ready to leave?’

‘I don’t know, Daniel. It depends on what Rafa and Jude want to do.’

‘You need to think about who you trust.’

Jude blocks his path, stops him from reaching me. ‘How the fuck can you talk to Gaby about trust after what you did to her?’ Everything about Jude is a challenge: his posture, his tone. The way he eyeballs Daniel.

I catch a shadow of something in Daniel’s face—guilt? Regret? But it’s already gone. He keeps his eyes on me. ‘You’ve been so quick to decide who to put your faith in—’

‘Don’t you dare make this about Rafa,’ I say. ‘Not now.’

‘I’m talking about
before
. I wouldn’t wish what happened to Rafa on anyone, but that doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t trust him a year ago. Before you disappeared, you’d spent a decade looking for any opportunity to meet him in a fight so you could hurt him. Really hurt him. You should at least trust that, if nothing else.’

I reach for the gurney, touch the sheet Rafa was bleeding on only moments ago. ‘I trust Rafa with my life.’

‘And that’s going to be your downfall. You’ve thrown your lot in with him. You’ve aligned yourself with the Outcasts.’

‘I haven’t aligned myself with anyone.’ But that’s not true anymore. Not after Iowa.