The Returning Read online

  Carrington wanted to pull away from Lucy’s touch and hide in a dark place, but the younger woman’s grip was solid and the truth of her words kept Carrington’s feet in place.

  “Let go of the grievances you hold against yourself, and know all that has happened and will happen is held under the power of the Father. The light that has been our strength will never fail us.”

  The tears Carrington had been holding back slid down her cheeks and the tremble in her hands resurfaced. Thoughts of her daughters collided inside her head. The one she’d watched grow into a beautiful, independent, secure woman, and the other she’d only dreamed of. One she’d held too closely because she’d let the other be taken. One who now wanted to leave in hopes of rescuing the other, but all Carrington could think about was losing them both.

  Lucy slid her hand up to Carrington’s shoulder. “Remember who you are. Who Elise is and who Kennedy is, and who calls them His own.”

  Carrington knew Lucy was right, but acknowledging that truth would mean giving up her right to be angry and afraid, and she wasn’t ready to do that. She wanted to tell Lucy so, wanted to claim Lucy wasn’t a mother so she couldn’t possibly understand what she was asking Carrington to do, but a loud pounding rhythm filled the air and drowned out her unspoken words.

  The ceremony drums had started. The two of them were very late.

  2

  Remko could feel the vibration of each drumbeat through his heels from where he stood onstage. The wooden platform that backed up to the monstrous Trylin Mountain faced the gathering of every soul that called this simple city home. Everyone but Carrington, who was still nowhere to be seen, though the ceremony was about to start.

  Remko knew his wife’s soul was on its own journey. Ever since Kennedy had been called to join the Seven. Their daughter’s calling hadn’t come as much of a shock to him; he’d long ago accepted that his children were not his own and that the truest form of love was in letting go. As he’d once done with Elise, he’d also learned to do with Kennedy. He often forgot, but as Aaron had so often drilled into their heads, the importance was in the remembering.

  Now, as he stood before the city he commanded, before the people who had lived for this day when the prophecy of the Seven would be fulfilled, before a city that represented the freedom that came when you let go of your fears and trusted the Father, Remko remembered to hold no grievance against the woman he loved. For she also had to find the power in remembering.

  Six drummers, three men and three women, worked the crowd with enthusiasm. They danced to the beats they played as they moved through the gathered people and toward the platform. Children squealed with delight and mothers and fathers beamed with joy. The coordinated pulse of the instruments shook them all with a vibration that signaled the start of a new era.

  Remko caught sight of Carrington and Lucy approaching the stage from the left just as the final rhythmic string of joyful sounds was coming to a close. Lucy gave him a silly wink, as if to say it wasn’t a real party until she was fashionably late, and Carrington tried an apologetic smile as both women ascended the small wooden staircase and took their places onstage. Carrington beside Remko, and Lucy with the other chosen ones, making them complete. Seven in all.

  The drums came to a thunderous conclusion and the city exploded into thrilled applause. The energy swept up and across the stage, and Remko let himself be taken with the spirit of what this moment represented. He reached out and grabbed Carrington’s hand to let her know all was well and drove both of his arms into the air, sweeping hers up with his, their fingers intertwined. The crowd’s applause grew and the entire mountain felt as though it were trembling with them.

  Remko kept his hands high as the city rejoiced. He stole a glance at the woman beside him and she smiled—a genuine, full-faced smile that lit his heart and drove his excitement forward. Suddenly a great wind descended on the gathering, sweeping through hair and clothes, filling the city with hope and crushing the fears that lingered.

  Remko closed his eyes and let the wind surround him fully, welcoming the renewal it brought. He lowered his arms as the wind lessened to a breeze and the people began to still. Stairs to the right of the platform creaked and Remko turned to see Aaron step onto the stage. They shared a knowing smile before Remko turned back to face his people.

  “Trylin City,” Remko shouted, and the crowd once again rang out in applause. “We are gathered here today in remembrance. A single body, united by the Father, embracing the identity He calls us to.”

  Cheers sprang up from the faces below as Remko continued. “We are here because we were called, as all people are, to discover the truth that lives within us, to acknowledge the heritage we possess, to lay claim to the identity that was given to us, and to grow in the truth of the light that is greater than all darkness. And now we send out those chosen to take that truth to the world.”

  The crowd ignited with joy, their voices echoing off the stone faces of the mountain’s cliffs. Aaron grabbed Remko’s shoulder and shook it with excitement. His laugh joined the others and Remko himself let out a cheer.

  Aaron stepped forward to address the crowd, and the people fell silent. “For many years you have heard me talk of this day. Many of you remember the moment when each individual on this stage heard the call from the Father to go. Go into the world and make believers of all His children. We must never forget that those inside the Authority City walls are members of our family, of our body, who have simply forgotten who they are. They are blinded to their own salvation, as all of you were once blind. But we will help them see!”

  The crowd cheered again, the vibration setting the ground astir.

  Aaron continued once the crowd had settled. “It is also important to remember the darkness that floods the streets now. The darkness these chosen Seven will surely face. Led by a tyrant, a man who believes his mind and power are greater than the light. His talons are submerged deep within the city, but do not let this stir fear within you. For the light that lives inside us is stronger than the darkness that lives inside him. He has tricked many into believing lies about themselves, because he comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but he will not be victorious.”

  Aaron raised his fist into the air, and quickly all the people followed suit. Every person in the city, as one, lifting a single fist to the sky as an intentional calm fell over the gathering.

  Aaron spoke. “To the earth and the Father who molded it.”

  The crowd echoed back their response. “To the earth.”

  “To the wind and the Father who guides it.”

  “To the wind.”

  “To the light and the Father who summons it.”

  “To the light.”

  “To His children and the Father who calls them His own.”

  “To His children.”

  “We acknowledge!”

  “We acknowledge!”

  “We accept!”

  “We accept!”

  Aaron paused, then shouted, “We believe!”

  “We believe!”

  As the last syllable fell from the crowd’s lips, a powerful energy grew from their combined cries and once again rattled the ground. Deep emotion echoed up through Remko’s chest and he pulled Carrington under his arm and to his side. He kissed the top of her head as Aaron crossed the stage to where the chosen Seven stood. Their faces glowed with honor and humility, all of them visibly itching to start out on the journey they had been called to.

  Aaron waited as the crowd regained their quiet composure and then continued. “Each of you in the crowd represents a pillar of strength and support for those standing here who have been called to go. Join with them in spirit as we send them out with great confidence.”

  Aaron made his way to the farthest end of the line and took the hand of Lucy Carson. Remko looked and saw Lucy’s younger sister, Rayna, beaming in the front row, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

  “Do you accept the call set before you to follow the wind, honor th
e light, and know the Father who created them both?” Aaron asked.

  Lucy smiled. “With pleasure,” she answered in her quirky way, and several chuckles rose from the crowd. Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver medallion fastened to a leather necklace. Lucy tipped her head forward as Aaron placed the piece around her neck. Remko knew the medallion would serve as a reminder of where Lucy’s true identity lay, as the road ahead was sure to test them all.

  Aaron then moved on down the line. Kane Brant, Remko’s nephew. His parents, Ramses and Lesley, watched with joy. Sage Avery, the middle daughter to an original Trylin City family, had been just a baby when the Seers had arrived here. Timmons Gilford, husband to Eleanor Lane, the daughter of Authority member Enderson Lane. Willis Lane, Eleanor’s younger brother. Eleanor would be saying goodbye to both of the men in her life. Davis Tollen, the only child of Wire and Kate. The boy had taken strengths from both parents. And finally, Kennedy, Remko and Carrington’s younger daughter.

  Remko felt Carrington’s body tense as Kennedy accepted her call and received her medallion. Remko recognized his own reservations rising, but he knew the path set before his daughter was clear. The truest form of love was letting go.

  With each member, Aaron had asked the same question and presented them with the same token as he gave his blessing and accepted their response. He then turned back to the crowd.

  “You have taken part in the beginning of the new life that is to come. Let our faith continue to grow and our hearts be steadfast as this new chapter commences. Now, as these Seven have committed to you, so you too should commit to them. Let us celebrate these warriors, as in doing so we celebrate Him.”

  Aaron again raised his fist high and shouted, “We believe!”

  As one unit the gathering did the same, and as their words died off, the drummers began to play again. Applause and cheers rang out; parents and families of the chosen Seven rushed the platform and embraced their loved ones. Remko caught Kennedy’s eye, and she smiled as she moved through the gathered mass now onstage and into Remko’s arms. He held her tightly for a long moment before pulling back to see the light shining behind her eyes.

  Kennedy turned to Carrington, her mother’s eyes already brimming with tears, and threw her arms around her neck. Carrington pulled her close, and Remko could hear Kennedy whispering. “It’s going to be okay, Mom. I’m going to find her.”

  Remko’s heart faltered and he sensed the all-too-familiar fear creeping into his chest. The endless stream of questions that always led him to one ultimate question: What if she isn’t still alive?

  He felt a pair of eyes on him and glanced up to meet Aaron’s stare. They held each other’s gazes for only a second, and then Aaron shrugged as if to say, Even now you can choose salvation over fear. The choice is always yours.

  Remko grinned and shook his head slightly as Aaron let out a hearty laugh. He was right; even now the choice was his. So he would choose faith over fear and belief over doubt.

  3

  A deep chill sank into Roth Reynard’s bones and he glanced up from his office desk. The room around him was dark; only a small spot on his desk was illuminated by a lamp on the work surface. The air seemed to have dropped in temperature and an uneasy feeling pulsed at the nape of his neck. He scanned the room carefully, searching every crevice for whatever was tugging at his senses. He was certain he wasn’t alone.

  Movement caught the corner of his eye and the Scientist stood. “Who’s there?”

  A man stepped out from the shadows and Roth’s jaw clenched painfully. He knew this man, though they had never met. Not outside of Roth’s dreams. Aaron. His chest filled with rage and hate, the power resting inside his dark soul screeching out against the man before him. “You were foolish to have come here,” the Scientist said.

  “I told you the time was coming, and now here it is,” Aaron said.

  Roth fought back the shiver starting under his skin. Aaron’s words cut like razors in his mind. I told you the time was coming. He had told him. For weeks now. In his dreams, in the depths of his sleep. And here the maniac stood, in his office. Or was this just another device of the mind, playing cruel tricks on him? Was his brain plotting against him, colluding with the enemy?

  “How did you get in here?” the Scientist asked.

  “I walked,” Aaron said.

  Past the guards scattered through every hallway? Doubtful, Roth thought. “I won’t let you walk out.”

  Aaron’s eyes glued themselves to Roth’s, and the Scientist could feel their heat, like a pulse of fire. “I think your lack of power over me would be surprising,” Aaron said.

  Anger boiled in Roth’s blood and a rumble turned in his chest. Who was this crazed man—if he could be called a man at all? The familiar lure of power expanded through the Scientist’s bones. The dark energy that he held closely reared its evil head as Aaron took another step. “You have come to my kingdom and believe that I would let you leave alive?” Roth asked.

  “This kingdom belongs to the light. The people were His first. You are the invader, and their time of returning is near,” Aaron said.

  Roth spit out a laugh through his clenched teeth. “I own these people. My science saved them. You cannot threaten me here.”

  “Yet you tremble where you stand. Good—you should tremble. No kingdom created by man shall endure,” Aaron said.

  The rebel’s clear lack of respect for the Scientist enraged him further. “I will not let you and your people destroy what I have built. I have brought forth the next level of evolution; you can’t turn back the hands of time. There is nothing powerful enough to undo what I have done,” the Scientist said.

  A thunderous gust of wind swept across the room, rocking the floor under Roth’s desk and shaking his core. He fell into his chair as the wind whirled around and swallowed everything in its tracks. Papers and dust swirled off the floor like tiny whirlpools all around him. Books crashed to the floor; his desk wobbled violently against the hardwood. Roth raised his hand to his face to block the onslaught of debris.

  He saw Aaron through the small slits in his fingers. The man stood, face skyward, a smile plastered to his lips, a palpable sense of ease surrounding him as if the wind were comforting him, not trying to rip him into pieces.

  Aaron dropped his face and looked through the tempest toward Roth, an expression of absolute certainty behind his eyes as he spoke. “It is coming. It is inevitable, and it cannot be threatened.” A bright light pierced through the wild wind and spread out to every corner of the room. The darkness residing in Roth’s chest rose up to protect him from the light, acting as a shield, blocking out his vision. It hissed and twisted as it came face-to-face with the light emanating from Aaron. Roth couldn’t see anything, but he heard Aaron’s words through the howling of the wind.

  “It is certain and eternal. It is freedom for all. And it has already started.”

  A heavy pounding echoed somewhere through the chaos, but the Scientist couldn’t focus past just trying to remain in his seat. He felt his chair give way under the pressure of the wind, and he crashed to the floor, his body surrounded in darkness, the light that felt like flames starting to pierce through, the chill of the suffocating wind inching its way closer. Like fire and ice, the forces crashed around him on all sides. And through it all Aaron’s voice rang loud and clear.

  “This city will soon be reclaimed by light. The people will once again know their true names. They will be found in the light once again. And the girl Elise will call them all home. She will lead the Returning!”

  “Enough—enough!” Roth cried. A tremendous crack echoed through the swirl of insanity and the entire room stilled. The furniture stopped shaking against the floor, the dust settled, and Roth raised his head to see a handful of CityWatch guards stumbling in through his now-splintered office door. They looked around the room in confused sweeps, armed and ready to take on whatever villain was attacking their leader.

  “Arrest him!”
Roth shouted.

  “Arrest who?” one guard asked.

  Roth spun his head toward where Aaron had been standing and cursed violently when he saw no one. The dark power welling under his skin buzzed with anger and whispered instructions the Scientist was already formulating himself. Aaron had crossed a line coming here. Enough was enough.

  “Sir, are you all right?” a guard asked.

  “I’m fine,” the Scientist snapped. He wheezed through a deep breath and closed his eyes. Even with his heart rate slowing, his entire body still felt wrecked. He was too old to deal with this kind of emotional stress. “I need to speak with Jesse immediately.”

  “But it’s the middle of the night,” one guard started.

  “Yes, clearly it’s the middle of the night; does that somehow make you incapable of taking orders?”

  All the guards stiffened, and the one who had spoken nodded in compliance. “Very well, sir.”

  “I’ll see him in the Council Room.” Roth tried to push himself up off the floor. His knees popped as he stood and his brain pounded in response to the movement. He wavered as he stood, and one of the guards rushed over to help him.

  Roth pushed the guard away and cursed his aging body. “Just do as I asked.”

  The guard stood back and nodded, motioning for the others to leave the office.

  When they were gone, Roth reached out and grasped the edge of his desk for balance as his knees continued to shake. Partly from the lasting impression of Aaron’s power and partly from the rage coursing beneath his skin.

  The darkness whispered again, its voice coarse and hateful.

  “Don’t worry,” Roth said out loud. “I will crush them all.”

  Roth had regained his composure and walked calmly to the Council Room only moments after sending the guards for President Cropper. The Scientist had waited only a couple of minutes before Jesse walked in, hazy-eyed and still clearing sleep from his mind. Those few moments had allowed the Scientist to refocus and set his mind to the task at hand.