Soul Savers: Power Part 2

And, although he made me feel as incredible as always, something seemed to be ... missing.

Chapter 3.

Rina's eyes gla.s.sed over as she looked away from Mom and stared out the open French doors to the balcony, though she didn't appear to be gazing at the view of the cypress trees with the Aegean Sea sparkling behind them. She sat in her oversized bed, propped by a mountain of pillows, but her mind had traveled to another place ... to another time. Perhaps to when she'd first met the people whose names Mom had just mentioned, or maybe to when she'd ordained them to her council.

"Adolf and Shihab," she murmured, dabbing a finger at the corners of her eyes. "And you said others?"

"Yes, but we don't need to discuss this right now," Mom said, studying Rina's haggard face as she adjusted the covers. My grandmother's brown eyes looked even larger than usual in her thin face, accented by dark purple half-moons under her lower lids.

Tristan had been both right and wrong about Rina's quick recovery-she regained a good portion of her mental capacity the day after he and Dorian had left and had continued showing improvement in the ten days since, but physically she struggled. With as many hours of the day that she slept, her body should have restored itself twenty times over by now, but her cells weren't regenerating as they should have been.

"Yes, we do need to discuss it right now," Rina said, shooing Mom's fussing hands away with a flick of her own.

Mom pulled back and instead made herself busy by pouring Rina a cup of tea. "Mother, it can wait-"

Rina's eyes snapped to Mom's face. "My people are dying, Sophia. It cannot wait!" Her chest rose and fell in a calming breath before she took the teacup and saucer from Mom. "Who else?"

Mom pinched the bridge of her nose and squinted her eyes. She looked as tired as I felt. Now that Rina was awake and coherent, Mom and I had been spending even more time in here with her, gradually bringing her up to date on the state of the Amadis. As her mind began to clear, one of Rina's first questions had been about whether Tristan and I had recovered the pendant yet.

I hadn't been surprised she'd focused on the pendant, especially since we hadn't yet told her about all of the Daemoni attacks. But they probably wouldn't have made much of a difference. The next Amadis daughter would always remain a top priority, and the pendant housed the stone I needed in my possession to ensure Tristan's fertility. Although it wouldn't guarantee a daughter, I would definitely never conceive Tristan's baby without the stone. The Angels may or may not have instilled the faerie stone with additional qualities, but if they had, the Daemoni could possibly turn it against us, making it a weapon. We needed the pendant, but we hadn't been able to find it or the vampire-b.i.t.c.h who had stolen it until two weeks ago. Who knew when we'd find her again?

"Alexis, I will need you to take further risks now. We need that pendant," Rina had said. "It will be our top priority. You and Tristan will lead the operation, and I will give soldiers to a.s.sist."

Mom and I exchanged a glance, but said nothing at the time to Rina. The matriarch had been returning to her authoritative self, which was good, but she didn't have the full story then. She hadn't known about the increase in Daemoni attacks, and that our soldiers were already stretched thin. We hadn't wanted to bring up all of the Amadis deaths until Rina's health improved.

Now, only a few days later, we could no longer avoid that discussion.

"Who else?" Rina repeated.

Mom didn't need to answer. The memories others had shared with me flashed through my mind, and I pa.s.sed them on to Rina. My grandmother closed her eyes, and the teacup rattled in the saucer as she watched the gruesome images of the fights Adolf and Shihab had been in with the Daemoni. Fangs flashed and blood splattered as limbs and heads were severed from bodies. Wolves, cougars, and lions transformed into human bodies as they died on the battlefield. Some of the German and Arabian troops had fallen with their leaders in the violent battles. Then more abhorrent visuals played of the Daemoni attacking Armand and his people as they tried to gather intelligence for us. My own memories of the funerals on the cliff also flashed for Rina, and I could feel her despair deepen with each one.

"The last one we sent to the Angels, before Lilith, was Armand's second-in-command, last month," Mom finally said.

I had liked Armand's second a lot-much more than the French vampire himself who had been one of Tristan's primary accusers last fall. His second had been a female were-bear and a much better leader than her boss. I'd only met her a couple of times, but admired her kind heart and tough demeanor. Hers was the only funeral, until Lilith's, where tears had stung my eyes.

I'd shed no tears for Adolf, the German werewolf who had also been one of Tristan's adamant accusers. Yes, he was Amadis, so I probably should have felt some remorse, and I supposed I did. A little. But only because we needed every last soul. I certainly held no personal affection for him beyond that.

"The rest of the Amadis are busy, but doing fairly well," Mom added. "The Daemoni are focused on Normans."

"How many are they infecting?" Rina asked as she shakily placed her cup and saucer on the nightstand next to her. "How bad is it?"

Mom shook her head. "We aren't sure of exact numbers, but enough that Normans are taking notice. Some smaller countries have closed their borders completely, blaming the mysterious deaths and disappearances on foreign terrorists. It's only a matter of time before leaders begin considering more drastic measures. If the Daemoni continue their current rate of attacks, or G.o.d forbid, increase ..."

Mom trailed off as Rina rubbed her finger and thumb against her closed eyelids. I took her other hand and pushed more Amadis power into her. She squeezed my hand in return.

"This is too much for you, Mother. You need to rest," Mom said.

Rina stopped rubbing her eyes and glowered at Mom. "I apparently have been resting for eight months while the world falls apart around me. Do you truly believe I can sleep right now?" She shook her head. "Continue. How many have we converted?"

Mom sighed and took a seat in the chair by Rina's bed. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees and her hands clasped together. "Not enough. Not many at all. Our safe houses aren't empty, but we don't have enough conversion specialists to be more aggressive with the Daemoni's victims. Charlotte has been doing what she can. So have our others. But you, Alexis, and I have the strongest Amadis power, and, well ..."

Rina gave me a sideways glance and looked back at Mom. "You two have been here with me rather than out there helping."

Accusation laced her tone, but what did she expect? She was family. Besides, she was the matriarch. We weren't the only ones who needed her.

"The Amadis need a matriarch, that is true," Rina said. "But we have a line of succession. If I had not made it-if I still do not make it-we have you, Sophia. The infected need you more than the people need me."

Mom opened her mouth, likely to protest, but Rina didn't let her speak.

"That is knowledge for you to remember for the future. At the moment, however, I understand the predicament. Alexis is newly turned. She needs to be trained in the art of conversion. Or have you been, darling?" Rina turned her eyes on me. I shook my head.

"As you said, we've both been here the whole time," Mom said.

"I did try with Lilith, but ..." My eyes stung again at the thought of Lilith. I cleared my throat. "But I failed."

"Alexis, darling," Rina said, "you did not fail. Lilith's soul is safe. I made sure of it before returning."

My mouth fell open. We'd all thought Rina's grunts when she'd first come out of the coma to be nonsense, perhaps a muttering of her last memory before she went down.

"You mean ..." I stammered.

"The Angels took her soul, yes. I'd been holding the connection to the Otherworld for her, and when Lilith finally accepted your power and moved on, I was able to let go. You did well." Rina tilted her head as she seemed to study my face more closely. "This explains your exhaustion, however. Your low power levels."

"What do you mean?"

"Your Amadis power is low for you, Alexis. You have tried to do too much."

I shrugged. "I had to. I had to help Lilith. And you ... you ..." The tears came against my wishes. The emotions I'd been trying to hold inside for days burst through. "Oh, Rina, I'm so sorry I doubted you before! You always take care of us and I had thought ... I had thought ..." I couldn't admit now the blame I had put on her for betraying Tristan and me, of keeping our daughter from us, and calling me a liar about it all. I'd been so wrong, so very wrong about her. "I'm so sorry, Rina. It's my fault you were even hit."

Rina withdrew her hand from my clasp, and I couldn't blame her one bit. She'd probably blocked the ugliness between us from her mind, and now I had brought everything flooding forth again. What a miserable excuse for a granddaughter I was. I squeezed my eyes shut and stopped the sobs. I had no right to cry.

Both of Rina's hands wrapped around mine. "Darling, I do not blame you."

"n.o.body does," Mom added.

I shook my head, denying it. Sure, I had revealed the true traitor, but both Kali's spirit and Martin's body were gone, so who knew if it was really over? And when I did reveal the truth, Kali had thought Rina shared the sorceress's thoughts, resulting in the matriarch's coma that had thrown the entire Amadis into a downward spiral.

"Considering what I have heard about the events in that council room," Rina said, "I am very proud of you, Alexis. You did what needed to be done."

"But at what cost? You're my grandmother! I hurt you before the trial even began and then to see you ... so ..." I trailed off again, the fear of Rina dying choking me as it had done nearly every day since she'd been hit. "I was so worried," I finished lamely.

I mentally kicked myself in the shins. I'd been waiting so long to apologize and that was the best I could do?

"Alexis, darling, everything occurs for a specific reason. Do not fret anymore. Worry is a waste of energy, and you obviously have little to spare." She withdrew her hands from mine once again. "In fact, I do not want you sharing your power with me anymore."

"But you need-"

"What I need, darling, is for you to have your full powers. Have you been meditating? Spending time alone? Allowing your body to absorb the power from the Island as I suggested three days ago?"

"I've tried," I said. "I've sat on the beach. Even did some more writing."

Rina nodded. "I have noticed you scribbling in a journal while you sit with me as I rest. A new story?"

"Not exactly new. It's my story-mine and Tristan's. I've filled three books and am finally about done. Well ... caught up to now, anyway."

The itch to write again had nearly consumed me within the first week of sitting with Rina and Lilith. Holding them with my left hand allowed my right hand to be free-not exactly good for banging on a keyboard, but fine for old-fashioned writing. I'd started what I'd thought would be a journal, but it really came out more as a story, deeper than the one in my history book because my thoughts intertwined with the actual events.

"If you would like, you may keep the filled books in the Sacred Archives," Rina said, a twinkle in her eye. "The Island and the writing have not helped, no?"

I shrugged. "I think they have. I feel more rested ... sort of."

Rina studied my face for a long moment. "Of course. You need your family. You need to be with Tristan and Dorian."

"I do miss them," I admitted, trying to mute the desperation I truly felt. My heart ached with longing for them. "But I'll be fine. You and Mom need me here. Besides, it's only been ten days." Ten days, three hours, forty-two minutes to be exact ... but who's counting?

"That is settled. You go home immediately."

My jaw dropped. Am I that transparent?

"Yes, you are," Rina said in my head.

I frowned. Really, I'll be fine, Rina. Please, let me stay here with you and Mom.

"You will not be fine. You will be useless to us if you continue as you are." She spoke her next words aloud. "I may never fully recover, and in the meantime, the Amadis need us. All of us. As does humanity."

"Which is why we need to help you regain your strength," Mom said.

"Sophia, it is too late for me." Mom and I both gasped, but Rina shook her head and let out a little chuckle. "No, no. That is not what I mean. The Angels visited me often while I was unconscious, but no, they did not share any plans for my impending death or ascension. I only mean that you have done as much as you can for me. I believe I am as well as I am going to be."

Mom and I exchanged a glance. If this was Rina's best ...

"You continue giving me Amadis power, and I can feel it coursing through my veins, but I am not regenerating as I should be, no?"

Neither Mom nor I could argue with her.

"I know this. I accept it. The two of you need to accept it, as well. It is time to move on. To move forward." She repositioned herself against the pile of pillows, straightening her back to sit up to her full height. Her eyes narrowed as they looked into Mom's and then into mine. "It is time we prepare for war."

Only two mornings later, Ophelia came into Rina's suite as I once again protested my departure.

"Ms. Alexis, the jet is ready and waiting for you," the elderly witch said.

I scowled at Rina. "Are you sure about this? I hate leaving you and Mom here."

"Honey, we'll be fine," Mom said from a desk in the corner that she'd set up so she could work while still being close to Rina. "We've been doing this for a long time."

"Preparing for war?" I asked.

"Not so urgently, but, yes, that is what we do. Rina and I can manage things from here. We need you out there, serving your purpose."

"My purpose is not going home to sit on the beach and relax," I argued. Who in their right mind disputes that? I wouldn't have a year or two ago, but now we were on the brink of war.

Mom folded her arms over her desk. "How many times are we going to discuss this?"

"I just don't get it. There's so much going on, you need every bit of help you can get and you're sending me home? To do nothing?"

"We're sending you home to recuperate. The sooner you do that, the sooner you can be of help to us."

"Alexis, darling," Rina said, "there is much we need you for. But you are useless to us in your current state."

Hmph. As if Rina should be talking. She still couldn't get out of bed for more than thirty minutes at a time without exhausting herself.

"I am surrounded by people who love me here," Rina said. She couldn't usually listen to my thoughts as easily as everyone else's so it must have been written all over my face.

"So am I," I countered.

"Not the two whose love you need most," Rina said. "Go home, Alexis. We will be putting you to work very soon, do not worry. We will need a new safe house to start with, and eventually, I will need you to oversee conversions in the entire Western Hemisphere, since Sophia will be here, and I will need Charlotte elsewhere. Most importantly, I will need you and Tristan to recover the stone."

Mom rose from her chair, came over to me and took my hands into hers. She ducked her head so her eyes could catch mine. "See? There's a lot you'll be doing. But first, you need to be at your best."

"Darling, simply by leaving the Amadis Island, you are doing something for us," Rina added.

With a quiet groan, I gave her a nod of resignation. This part we'd gone over many times already. We hoped that when I left the island and the Daemoni saw both Tristan and me out of the Amadis' direct protection, they'd lay off the Normans and focus back on us. That had been their ultimatum before, so hopefully it still stood. We also hoped Vanessa would be too tempted to come after me and would abandon her game of hide-and-seek. In other words, I'd be bait, and although it could become dangerous, the role felt pa.s.sive when there was so much going on. At least now I knew Rina had other plans for me, too.

But still, my first and primary orders were to rest. Because I was useless.

After two days of arguing this, however, I knew by now Rina wasn't going to budge. So I reluctantly said my goodbyes to her and Solomon, Ophelia, and even Julia, then flashed with Mom to the island's runway. A small private jet sat outside the hangar, the steps down, waiting for me. A figure moved from the cabin to right inside the entrance.

"You need an escort," Mom said, laying an arm over my shoulder.

I already knew this, for the same reason I wore my leathers and had my dagger and knife on me-just in case. I had secretly hoped Tristan had returned to serve the role of protecting me, but the figure standing at the top of the steps was definitely not my man. Not any man, actually-admittedly, after Tristan, I'd hoped Owen would have been there. That would have been an even bigger and greater surprise. Before my heart plummeted too far, however, Charlotte moved closer to the edge of the doorway and waved. I grinned for the first time in days, happy to see her face.

Mom turned me toward her and placed a hand on each of my cheeks. A small smile curved her lips, but didn't reach her eyes.

"Charlotte will be working with you again, but I wish it were me. I wish things were different. I've been waiting for this time since you were a little girl." She pulled me to her in another hug as I tried to figure out what she meant. "But we each have our duty, and mine, for now, is to be here with Rina. So you take care, listen to Charlotte, and get some rest. Then I promise you'll have more than enough to do."

"Love you, Mom," I said into her ear as I squeezed her tighter.

"I love you, too, honey."