* * *
We run faster than the wind over peaks and through valleys, over rivers and lakes, until the sun hangs low in the evening sky with clouds tinged red and orange. My running abilities have improved from the day before, and I don’t doubt for a second I am the fastest in the group now.
We arrive at the small Idaho town of Kamiah. We maybe have an hour before the Demons will emerge. Luckily, two motels are located on the outskirts of town. Chris, Justin, and I head to the office of the Moon Glo motel to purchase rooms.
“Good evening,” says the female clerk at the front desk.
Chris responds, “Hello, we’d like four rooms, adjoining if possible.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, we only have two rooms available tonight.”
Chris turns to Justin. “Run over to the other motel and see if they have any rooms.”
Justin nods and hustles out the door.
The clerk adds, “The two rooms I have are adjoining though, if that helps.”
“We’ll take them.” Chris unzips his front pocket and pulls out a credit card and slaps it down for the clerk to process the payment. I notice the name on the card is High Altitude Sports, the name of Clara’s company.
While the clerk types on her computer, Chris turns to me and says, “Go see if Justin was able to get rooms. If so, divide the group the way we did this morning. Azeel stays with us. Tell Justin I’ll be over to pay as soon as I can. If there aren’t any rooms at that motel, we’ll have to cram into these rooms.”
The clerk looks up, having obviously overheard what he said. “Uh, we have an occupancy limit per room, young man.”
“I’ll pay any extra charges per person.”
I leave the office and hurry over to the other motel. Justin is coming out the door as I approach.
“Any luck?” I ask.
“Yeah, they have rooms,” he replies with an indignant tone.
I turn on my heel before he says anything else and jog back to the group outside the Moon Glo. “Chris asked me to send everyone who ran with Justin this morning over to the other motel.”
Justin reaches us and interrupts me. “What are you doing?”
“Following Chris’s orders.”
His face tightens and I figure he’s about to launch into a rant about how I’m the slowest and lowest. Thankfully, Chris comes out the door and prevents a tirade.
I say to Chris, “He said they have rooms. I already told Justin’s group to head over to the other motel.”
Chris looks at everyone and raises his shoulders. “Well, what are you waiting for? Go.” Chris hands me two keys with numbers. “Take everyone else to the rooms. I’ll be right back.”
Once we are situated in our adjoining rooms and Chris has returned, I part the curtains and spy the Demons creeping about in the shadows. We cut that to the wire.
Chris stands by me and stares out the window into the darkness.
I say, “You know, the Demons aren’t interested in me. If we run into this situation again, how about if I handle the payments so you don’t have to risk your neck?”
“That would be a good idea, but your name isn’t on the account.”
“Oh.” I pause a moment, then ask, “Are you worried about Justin?”
“Yeah. I’m worried he’s going to turn on us. On everyone.”
Going to? He already has. “What makes you think that?”
“He’s threatened by you and your powers. Haven’t you noticed how he looks at you?”
“Like he wants to crush me under his heel?”
“That’s the look.” Chris smiles, then his expression falls. “What did you see in my future, Calli? What does the future hold for us?”
“I don’t like to look,” I say, casting my eyes to the floor. I’m not ready to see if anything has been altered yet. “Seers only have visions that start at four weeks in the future and beyond. They can’t see something in the near future at all, so it’s possible the handoff will have already happened by then and I won’t be able to see the future any longer.”
He gently places his hand under my chin and lifts it so my eyes are raised to his.
I can’t help myself. I look. The future, as seen through Chris’s perspective, rushes into my mind: the meadow with the gathered clans, as before, and the three of us standing in front of a stone table. Chris thrusts his hand forward with the box containing the real Sanguine Diamond I had switched earlier and opens the lid for the Death Clan to see. The moment the diamond is exposed, Chris recognizes an extreme amount of powers radiating from the exposed diamond. He pulls his hand back, refusing to give the box to the Death Clan leader. Chris’s body fills with pain as the leader kills him. I come back to the present. Damn! Switching the stones is not the answer to saving Chris. I step away from him and move to sit on the edge of the bed.
“What did you see?” Chris kneels in front of me.
I notice everyone from the two rooms has gathered around to hear. I can’t possibly tell them what I’ve seen. I choose my words with care.
“The delivery is not going to go well. One or two people may die.”
“What do you mean?” Chris asks.
“I can’t say exactly what will happen.”
“You can’t, or you won’t? I die, don’t I?”
I look at the curious faces, all full of apprehension, and nod my head. I hear several sharp intakes of air.
Chris responds, straightening his spine, “Then, I’ll make sure I’ve put my things in order before the meeting.”
“I’ll make sure you don’t die, Chris.”
“How are you going to do that? Sacrifice yourself?”
I don’t answer.
My silence alarms him. “No! I won’t have that, Calli. If it’s my time to die, then so be it. I won’t have you—” Chris breaks off abruptly, then stands and turns his back to me as he stares out the window.
All I can do is guess what kind of thoughts he has racing through his mind at the moment.
Chris takes a deep cleansing breath and lets it out slowly. Then turns back to me and musters up a half-smile. He looks beyond me and says, “Azeel, come with me. Let’s get you in contact with your family. The rest of you should get to bed.”
I use the opportunity to take a much-needed shower to wash the crusted blood off my neck and ears, after which I crawl into bed and try to relax my mind. I share a bed with Lizbeth, while Shanika and Ashley share the other one. Even though the bed isn’t the most comfortable, it still beats sleeping in a cave on rocks.