Talisman (76 page)

Though he tried to conceal his anguish, his emotions were too strong.  I could
see every ounce of his pain just by looking into his eyes.  Immediately, I stood up and approached Tanner.  My heart went out to him for his apparent loss.

“Maybe she’s
not
dead?” I encouraged.  “Couldn’t she have just given him one of her stones?  As a
gift?
”

“
No
,” Tanner insisted.  “The one around his neck is the
original
carnelian.  The same one Adean wore.”

Tanner
’s violet eyes darkened as they crept into a sharp glare. I could only assume that maybe this Adean was a past love of his.  All things considered, I decided not to pry. 
Who knows what memories I’ll stir up by asking?  He’s clearly pissed enough already
. 
This time, I think
I’ll keep my questions to myself
.

Trying to
remain optimistic, I asked, “Couldn’t Adean have surrendered the stone to him?”

Tanner let out a sharp laugh. 
“
Impossible
.  The only way Adean would’ve let that stone go was if he pried it out of her dead, lifeless hands,” he announced confidently.  “Adean was extremely brave and headstrong.”  He grinned and added, “She was quite a
firecracker
.  You remind me of her in a way.  Spirited, but
stubborn
.”

All things taken into consideration, I assumed that wa
s supposed to be a compliment.

“When was the last time you saw her?” I
asked.

“Not for many years,” Tanner said with a distant gaze.
“But I thought about her all the time. 
I’ll miss her
.”

“I’m so
sorry
,” I replied solemnly.

“Yeah
well, if you hadn’t sent me that vision and let me get over the initial shock, I’m afraid I would have blown my cover when I ripped the bastard’s head off.  I kept out of his way and pretended to busy while he was there.  I was afraid he might recognize me.  We had a run in ages ago.  I wasn’t even sure it was Ferrol until I managed to catch a glimpse of the stone that’s the origin of his powers.  That confirmation was pretty damning.”

I
found myself strangely disturbed by his last comment.

“
Why?
What stone is that?”

“
The howlite, I’m sad to say.  I saw it bound to his wrist.  He accidentally flashed it when he was putting on his coat.”  Tanner looked clearly annoyed.

“
Why?
  What does it do?  Does it give its owner a lot of powers?” I questioned nervously.

“No, not
a lot
of powers,” Tanner replied grimly.  “A howlite only has one power and one purpose…To
hunt
for other Talismans and their stones. Fortunately for me, my tiger’s-eye kept him from discovering who I was, but the bastard’s powers were pretty strong.  If he hadn’t left around noon, he would have drained all the damn thing’s magic, and then my little jig would have been up for sure.”

My mouth dropped as the seriousness of the situation became abundantly clear.  This Talisman was here to help lo
cate the diamond wand of Adamas and would ultimately find
me
.  A wave of panic consumed me as I looked around the cave with a growing sense of angst.  I felt as though the rough, rocky walls of the cavern were closing in around me, like I was being suffocated.  Tanner rushed over as soon as he sensed my fear.

“I don’t even have
to ask if he picked up on yours.” Tanner shook his head.  “Good thing you spotted him first and got the Hell out of that store.  I’m sure he sensed you and suspects the diamond’s powers have been claimed.  I’m just glad he didn’t
see you
.”

I pursed my lips and l
ooked away, which unfortunately prompted Tanner to become suspicious.

“He di
dn’t see you? 
Did he?
” Tanner questioned.

I remained quiet
.

“
Shiloh?
”

“He might have noticed my car…
when I pulled out of the parking lot,” I mumbled apprehensively.

“That’s
all?
” Tanner asked.  “That’s not the worst news in the world.  Well then, not only will you have to stay away from him, but I’m afraid you’ll have to ditch your car as well.”

My appearance stayed the same, still
deeply troubled by my numerous encounters with Ferrol, and I was positive Tanner would be none too pleased by them either.

“Don’t be upset,” Tanner encouraged.
  “I’ll get you another one.  Something nice…Maybe a white Beamer?  How about that?  Nothing too flashy, of course…A 3-Series.  I can’t have you getting
spoiled
.”

I
heard Tanner talking, but I wasn’t listening.  I remained still while my head swirled with panic and dismay.  He quickly noted my reaction.

“Not the response I would
expect from someone who was just informed that they were getting a new BMW as a gift,” Tanner remarked with a distinct raise of his brow.  “Shiloh? 
Shiloh?
”  He instantly picked up on my escalating panic.  Tanner swiftly grabbed my shoulders and demanded, “WHAT. DID.  YOU.
DO?
”

I watched the violet hue in his eyes
intensify as one of his brows began to arch.  There was no use in putting off my blunder any longer.

I lowered my head and mumbled, “He
may have
seen me in town…sitting at the red light when he walked past my car as he was crossing the street.”

“What do mean by
‘may have’?
” Tanner asked, fearing my answer.  My face remained blank.  “He didn’t he see your face,
did he?
”

I lifted my head.  “I mean
…
he did
,” I confessed.

“Dam
mit, Shiloh!” Tanner yelled.  “
WHEN
did this happen?”

I flinched.  “Sometime between noon and one o’clock, I think,” I replied sheepishly.

“I thought I told you to go to school! 
Why
didn’t you listen to me?”

“
I did
,” I snapped back, “but I got suspended and sent home.  I thought it was too risky to go to my house. I was afraid Lazarus might show up on my doorstep, waving another check.  I couldn’t find you
or
Bea.  I didn’t know where else to go, so I ended up hiding out at the Drive-In.”

“What in the
Hell did you get suspended for?” Tanner grunted.

“
Fighting
,” I muttered.  “I kind of beat up Mike Riverside.”

The Amethyst Talisman
rolled his eyes and stormed around, spitting out a few expletives under his breath.  His steps were so quick and heavy I thought the daggone roof was going to cave in any second.  Abruptly, Tanner stopped dead in his tracks.

“
Wait
… If you were hiding out at the Drive-In, then how did you end up at the football field?”

My confession was almost complete.  I didn’t think Tanner could possibly get any more livid than he already was. 
Might as well just let it rip
.

“Fer
rol spotted my car parked there, so I took off on foot through the woods.  I was on my way to the Heritage Inn when I saw the lights on at the stadium.  I figured I could hide out there for a while.”

I underestimated the limits of Tanner Grey’s threshold of anger.  I watched as his mouth tightened and his eyes squinted
into a nasty scowl.  The widow’s peak that seductively dipped down along his hairline looked a lot less alluring with all those lines popping out on his forehead.

“You took off…
on foot
,” Tanner laughed angrily.  “That’s what you’re telling me?  You think you lost a Talisman — who’s a supernatural ‘hunter’ —
ON FOOT?
”

My head nodded, somewhat insecurely.
  “Yeah…
Didn’t I?
”

“
No, Shiloh
.  You
didn’t
lose him.  I’m sure once he realized you weren’t at the Drive-In, he followed your trail of energy straight to the football field!”

“But I didn’t see him there,” I countered.

Tanner let out a sarcastic laugh.  “You didn’t see
me
there either,
now did you?
” 

Instantly, my stomach dropped.

“He probably followed you here! He could be waiting outside the cave, this very second!” Tanner grumbled.

I
wallowed in my own stupidity while I watched a very frantic Tanner Grey climbing the walls as he tried to figure out “what to do”.  He stopped and turned to look at the wand, staring at it fiercely.  The next thing I knew, Tanner had snatched my arm and was dragging me up the formation of rocks.

“Wr
ap your hands around it,” Tanner ordered impatiently.  “Try to dislodge the wand.”

“Tanner, I tried when I got back here last night, and it wouldn’t budge.”

“Try it
again!
” he demanded.

I carefully wrapped my hands around the wand and did as Tanner requested.  As I
’d predicted, it didn’t move an inch.  I stood over the diamond disheartened, once again.  This unfortunate turn of events was entirely my fault — every stupid, naïve percent of it.  I had no one to blame but myself for the regrettable predicament I was now in.  I’d not only disappointed myself, but Tanner as well.

He picked up on my feelings and turned me around to face him.  Tanner was still wrought with anger, but he calmed down as he attempted to console me.

“Shiloh, I think I know what your problem is.  You have to
want
to accept this as your destiny.  You are a Talisman, but the stone will not force itself upon you.  That’s why the transition of its powers won’t be complete until the wand is in your hand.  You have to be absolved of any reservations and right now, I think you still have some.  With Ferrol sniffing around and my suspicion that Lazarus has the hilt, we don’t have the luxury of time.  Lazarus could use the hilt to find the wand, and though he couldn’t possess its powers because they belong to you, he would take the opportunity to claim them —
by killing you
.  Then the diamond’s powers would rightfully belong to him.”  Tanner looked up towards the top of the rocky staircase.  “Wait here for a moment.  I’ll be right back.”

I listened to the sound of his footst
eps echoing around the hollowed-out cave while I stood there alone in front of the wand, left to consider Tanner’s theory.  I’d known all along that my own doubts were keeping me from claiming it.  I’d come to terms with everything about the nature of possessing the wand with the exception of one thing —
death
.  “Death” was an inescapable consequence of its ownership.  Having to “do the deed” to someone who wanted to claim the wand from me, or my own death that could result from trying to keep it from falling into their hands, and not to forget, the inevitable tragic outcome for the people I cared about if they found themselves in harm’s way because
I
possessed the diamond wand.  That’s what it boiled down to — plain and simple —
death
.  It was the only obstacle standing in the way of my future,
my destiny
.  That was the barrier I needed to break through, once and for all.

“There’s no one outside,” Tanner announced as he
hurried back down the rocky staircase.  “Our plans have changed.  I’ve got to tie up a few things today, but most important, I have to find out if Lazarus has the hilt.  You’ll have to leave town with Bea, just for a little while.  Once you two are safe, I’ll return and guard the wand.  I just put a temporary enchantment on the entrance.  It will only last until the sun sets this evening.  Lazarus and Ferrol won’t be able to get in here before I return, hopefully before dusk.  During that time, I’ll be the only one who can open or close it.”

“Why’s that?” I inquired.

Tanner gave me a playful smack on the side of my head.  “Because I’m the only one who knows the
magic words
— that’s why.  Don’t worry.  You’ll be safe down here all day.”

My eyes widened.  “You’re kidding, right? 
All day?
”

Ta
nner’s face was stone-cold serious.  “Yes,
all day
.  You spent all last night down here.  What’s a few more hours?”

Starting to feel slightly claustrophobic, I looked around the dimly lit cave that was to be my prison for the day and thought,
Well that sucks.  I’ll be trapped down here
.