“I was ill.”
“Yeah, no kidding. Let’s clean that up and air it out.”
Elias climbed down. “Clarita has been called home.”
“To London?”
“My dad says he needs me, which wouldn’t matter but for my sibs.”
Izzy started pacing. “So your dad, a grown man, asks you to come home, and this adventure ends. And you . . .” She stuck her finger in my stomach. “How many times are you going to bail on this guy?”
I glanced at Elias. He lowered his head. “She can go. I understand. I’ll find my way.”
“I’m not bailing on anyone! I’m just doing what needs to be done!”
“And when did you develop a responsible attitude?” Izzy asked.
Shambles. My life was in shambles. My family was in need. Elias — the real one — was trapped inside this boy’s shell. But this boy loved me, and was as close to family as I’d had in years. I promised to see this through, to unite him if I could. I think if I did, I could love him.
I threw up my hands. “I shall continue on until we locate this threat. Then, I’ll need to travel home, but I’ll return. I promise.”
The words came with little thought, but now, with them ringing in the air, they seemed right and true, and the issue was settled. There was no bringing Mum back. Dad was an adult, by degrees. He would survive another week. Marna and Teeter would survive as well . . . they always had.
“Where are we?” I continued.
“Salem, Ohio, as promised.” Izzy stretched. “And you’re welcome for ditching your ride for something more secretive, though it took driving back to Wisconsin to do it. See, there’s a chocolate man in town who owns a U-Haul rental.”
“I’ve met him. Kind of him to trade vehicles.”
Izzy winced. “Not so much a trade. But, anyway, I returned for the two of you, and there you were. Face down beside each other. I was sure you were gone.”
I pictured the scene. Elias, lying at my side in the middle of the road. In my greatest distress, the Other One did not leave.
“Well, if this is Salem, we’re safe, right?” I said, forcing a smile toward Elias.
“Remember Orion’s story.” Izzy marched toward the cab and pulled out her guitar case. “Not safe here.”
“Of course you’re safe here.” A woman’s voice rang out from the other side of the truck, and we walked around the vehicle. She was dressed pleasant and casual in her sandals and oversized shirt. “You’ve chosen one of the safest towns in the country. Now, I see you’re in a U-Haul. Moving to Salem?”
“Moving?” I asked, and Izzy whacked me on the shin with her guitar case. Quite by mistake, I’m sure.
“Yeah,” Izzy said. “We were so eager to . . . you know . . . to —”
“Move into the old Yarrow house? It’s the only property up right now. Right next door to mine,” filled in the woman. “What was the likelihood of running into each other?”
“Yes.” I frowned at Elias. “What are the odds?”
But I had long ago abandoned the concept of chance. That existed in the real world, where it was a constant throughout my eight months of travel. However, in Salem, the laws of probability were suspended, and bumping into help seemed the norm. First Izzy, then Haller once more, and now a woman who took us for neighbours . . . something beyond luck propelled us toward a Lightkeeper. Each step seemed guided by stars and stories, fantasies and fictions.
Given past sins, the alternative — that non-god had me by the neck — was too terrible to consider.
“Correct.” Izzy flashed me a terrible glance. “Move into the old Yarrow house. Mom and Dad decided to send us out ahead with the first load while they finish up back home.”
The woman folded her arms. She was still, a calm pool. At peace. There was no hurry in her.
Izzy stepped between Elias and me, resting her hands on our shoulders. “I’d like to introduce my brother and sister. I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”
“It’s Claudia Vanderpool. But for a soon-to-be neighbour, just Laudia.”
Izzy was quick. I had thought my reasonable intellect plus eight months of traveling certainly produced a gold-medal liar, but years of homelessness certainly gave Izzy first place. I smiled a silver-medal smile.
“This beautiful but vomit-scented girl is Clarita, my twin.”
You idiot!
“The ride didn’t suit.” I clenched my teeth. “And Izzy, I know it’s painful, but this is our new neighbor and she needs to know. There’s no Mum anymore. You need to sort that out.” I turned to Laudia. “Mum has passed.”
“Passed? Your mom died? Oh, my dears, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. We spoke on the phone a week ago, and there was no mention of illness or . . . or children . . .” She slowly folded her arms. “Your accent. It’s not like your mother’s . . . was, or your sister’s.”
Izzy stepped in front of me. “Two years studying abroad, and she comes back thinking she’s a Londoner.” She slapped me hard on the back. “I’m still working on getting the old Clarita back.”
No, Laudia wasn’t buying it. But she wasn’t rejecting it either. She looked too relaxed for that. She was waiting for one of us to dig the hole too deep, and seemed to be enjoying the burial.
There was a pause, and all eyes turned to Elias, clearly lost in feverish thought, trying to make sense of this narrative. It was flawed, twisted by Izzy and I, but it might still work, and if it did, it would provide us a place to stay for a day or two. All Elias had to do was lie. Or not say anything. A mute was a perfectly acceptable inclusion at this stage.
“My name is Elias, and I’m in search of the Lightkeeper. We consulted the star map and took into account Orion’s story, which led us here. The Lightkeeper spreads pain throughout Salem, and needs to be stopped. We are aware that danger awaits in this town, but I have brought Clarita as a guide and Izzy as a guard to help me on this quest. I see the truth in your eyes, and so have decided to bring you into our confidence. Can you help us?”
Oh dear Lord!
Izzy bit her lip before joining me in glancing back to Laudia. Her face gave away nothing for far too long. But finally she cocked her head and broke into a broad smile.
“My son, Kenton, is absolutely going to love you. He spends hours lost in those video games he creates. I swear sometimes I don’t know what world he’s in. Feels at times as if I’ve . . . I’ve lost him.” She paused. “Perhaps you will be able to help me find him?”
“I hope so, Laudia. I will do anything to undo the Lightkeeper’s treachery while I’m here.”
Izzy and I exchanged glances once again.
“Well, you likely want to get settled . . . somewhere. Why don’t you walk with me? You can come back for the truck.” She hinted a smile. “Now, I assume you have a house key.”
Elias started to answer, and I cleared my throat. “Another issue. With so much occurring in the last week, we forgot to grab one.”
We strolled through rows of mature trees and cared-for lawns. “Then you will be our guests for a few days. I insist. It will give you a chance to meet Kenton and get to know Peter, my husband. He will be very pleased to meet you, as it really was him who convinced David to move out here.”
“David?” Izzy asked.
“Your father David, yes. I’ll be sure to call him and let him know you arrived safely.”
“Right. Father David.” Izzy gazed left and then right. “You know, this generosity is too much. We really had planned on staying with the truck.”
“And we would hate to intrude,” I blurted.
“We accept your invitation.” Elias sped up. “Don’t listen to my overprotective company. I can’t wait to meet your man.”
It came in waves, the hurting. The whispered memory of Mum and the thunderous thought of Dad back home. His cadence now occupied FFA’s words on the screen, and gave them voice. “Come home.” The waves chose this moment to drench me, and my legs weakened. What did it matter if our lies were
discovered? I lagged behind the others, my second “family” walking briskly in front of me, and my first family consuming me. Would Mum have approved of Izzy, the girl with whom I was spending time? She never had trusted Kira. Kira! I’d completely forgotten about her. Would Dad approve of Elias? Either one of him?
Auntie Joan, Gerald and Charles, cousins both; they would ask if there had been word from me, if Dad knew where I was. Uncle Robert would inquire too, and maybe now Dad would tell them. Maybe he would say, “She’s in America, in Salem, Ohio. She’s blissfully happy. At least she was for one day, until I asked her to return and ruined her life.”
“I’m sorry, Clarita, did you say something?” Elias spun and stopped, waiting for me to catch up.
I shook my head, reached out and stroked his. Somewhere inside, he was counting on me; he had listened to me and ditched his medicine. I blinked London away. “Let’s catch up. No telling what Izzy might say next.”
CHAPTER 19
It turned out that my new family was wealthy.
Quite wealthy.
Then again, everyone on South Lincoln Avenue appeared to be. Wealthy and owning a taste for the old.
We wandered by their homes, mansions all.
“I suppose you’ve seen pictures of the place.” Laudia gestured around the historical district. “Does it compare?”
She paused in the middle of the road and turned a slow circle. From that vantage point, we were equidistant from four mansions.
It was a test.
“Of course, Dad’s shown us a bunch.” Izzy bit her lip and winced, offering me a quick shrug.
It would have helped matters had the homes been somewhat similar, but they weren’t. There were two with porches, two without. One brick, one stone, and two clapboard. Two white, one with a turret. And my favourite, one with towers rising on both ends.
“Of course, they were rather blurry images, Dad’s pictures being what they are,” I jumped in. “Most of the photos we’ve seen were taken on the inside.”
“Hmm.” Laudia was not smiling, and doubt filled her eyes. “We should get off the road.”
“Right.” I never was good at multiple-choice exams. “Well then, let’s get home.” I took a step toward the two-towered home, and Elias grabbed my arm.
“None of these. These don’t feel right. Is there a safer place to stay?”
Izzy rubbed her face. “Our home is fine, I’m sure. Dad wouldn’t purchase a home that’s not safe.”
Elias scratched his head. “I don’t even know your dad!”
Through it all, Laudia watched my face. I was her tell, my reaction the true or the false of it. Show panic, and our story would crumble beyond repair. I pasted on a broad smile.
“There is a time to work out our personal issues, but standing in front of our future neighbour, this is not it. Elias, you probably do have a better recollection of the place. Lead on.”
He nodded sharply and turned to Laudia. “Lead on.”
Laudia relaxed and laughed, and set off marching down the street. “It’s just another block.”
Izzy stepped nearer to me. “He’s going to blow this, you know.”
“Maybe, but he just saved us from intense embarrassment, and he’s the reason you’re not stuck in Wisconsin, so go with it. Nothing makes sense, and then it will, and when it does, nothing you knew before will make sense.” I threw my arm around her shoulder. “Welcome to the world of Elias.”
“I’ll be back in a moment.” Laudia returned from her home with a spare key, and soon we all stood inside. “I’m wondering if perhaps you should stay at our home, just until your parents arrive. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a trust issue . . .” She peeked at me. “Not completely. But until I can contact your father . . .”
Izzy eyed the key. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but we’ve been driving so long. We just need to rest, and I think we might best do that here.” She stretched out her hand.
Laudia exhaled. “Yes. I can understand that.” She dropped the key into Izzy’s hand, and again I thought our guard a genius.
Our new mansion had nine bedrooms, four baths, and numerous other sitting rooms and lounging areas. Slightly larger than the Phinn’s B&B, it nevertheless felt much smaller, with tinier spaces inside. Still, the porch was beautiful, the clapboard siding a brilliant restored white, and the eight columns majestic.
And it had a tower.
I dropped my bag on the foyer rug and breathed deeply.
It had been so long since I was home. Since I felt at home. And as I watched Izzy and Elias roam the bottom floor, I held no fanciful notions that I actually belonged here. Yet, in a strange way, I did. For this night, I belonged. I belonged here, with Elias. I looked up at the rising staircase.
Sure, there was reality. That was in England. London and the events that took place there, festering remembrances of Dad’s request, both felt like an anchor. Elias peeked behind an ornate mirror. He was not the only one to have slipped. I, too, had fallen through the cracks, as surely a resident of Salem as Elias was himself, and I didn’t want to return.
Maybe this was home.
Maybe Elias was happier in Salem as well.
I shook free.
“Thanks, Laudia.”
“I’ll leave the three of you to your explorations. There are . . . many things to discover in this home.” She gazed around the room and folded her arms, giving herself a squeeze. “Many things.” She turned to me. “You can see it’s been vacant for quite a few years. There are reasons for that, depending on what you believe about this town.”
A proper chill took me. “If there is something we should know, I would appreciate you telling us so we can sort it out.”
Laudia thought a moment. “What’s true, what’s rumour, it’s all hard to say after one hundred fifty years. Just perhaps stay above ground. And . . . if there’s something you wish to tell me, I’m right next door. I promise the result will be better for you than if you tell my husband.”
Izzy shifted, and I said nothing.
“You’re sticking with your tale? Very well.” Laudia licked her lips. “Peter will be so pleased to see you in person.”
Izzy yawned. “You know, we’re tired. I’ll just have the strength to move the truck and then I’ll crash. I have a feeling my brother and sister also need —”
“Food,” Elias said. “I really need food, and we accept your kind hospitality. You’ve shown yourself to be a kind and generous citizen of Salem, even in these hard times.”
“Hard times?”
“In these days following the death of the queen.”
Izzy slapped her forehead.
“The Queen of England?” Laudia glanced at me.
I stepped forward. “Well, you could say that. She was in England when she died.”
“You never mentioned that detail!” Elias glared. “Don’t you think I might be a bit interested in the location of her passing?”
“It slipped my mind. She was my mum, you know!”
“Wait.” Laudia held up a hand. “Who are the twins here?”
The next minutes saw our flimsy story crumble, followed by a long silence.
“We should, uh, all enjoy the pleasure of your company this evening,” I said. “What time should our family come over?”
“Six o’clock will do. The next brick house down.” Laudia looked each of us over and shook her head. “Welcome to Salem.” She slipped out the front door.
“Well, I think that went quite nicely, don’t you?” I stretched and rolled my eyes. “You know, she doesn’t believe a word we said. Izzy, will you go get the truck?”
She stomped toward the door, turned, and stomped back toward Elias. “One lie. That’s all I needed you to tell. One little lie. But no, you don’t do that for us. Instead, you develop a Winnie-the-Pooh-type fantasy world to live in, and you expect us to lie and live there, but if we make up our own Hundred Acre Woods, you won’t even visit.” Izzy shoved Elias in the chest. “You’re going to
get us caught.” She spun around, pausing at the front door.
“I’m sorry about your mom. Whatever part of that is real, I’m sorry, Clarita.”
She too quickly disappeared out the front door.
“It’s just you and me. Just like when we left.” Elias climbed the stairs and out of sight.
Just like when we left.
CHAPTER 20
Clara!”
I raced up the stairs toward my name, my real name. “Where are you?”
“Higher! Keep going up!”
That doesn’t help.
I threw open a door and entered the tower, reversed tracks and re-entered it on the next level.
There he was. Elias. His eyes clear and face sad.
“Where am I?”
He ran into my arms and embraced me. I pressed my cheek against his chest. This was all I could hope for. Yes, I was home. He and I or the Other One and I or the searching me and him or the helping me and him . . . All of him with all of me. It felt right, and he buried his face in my hair and breathed heavy against my neck, and a tingle worked its way down my spine, among other places.
I slowly eased him back.
“We’re in Salem, Ohio.”
“Ohio?”
I balled my fists, breathed deeply, and opened my hands. “Okay. Some other details you should know. You hired — rather, picked up — a guard. Her name is Izzy. She carries a shotgun in her guitar case.”
“Ohio. Izzy. Shotgun. Got it.” He paused. “Is my guard pretty?”
I kicked him in the shin. It was involuntary. Honest.
He reached down and rubbed his leg. “Be calm.” He hinted a grin. “I was just curious if the Other One has good taste, like I do.”
“Well then, perhaps she is a tad . . . Oh, blast, you’ll find out soon enough. She is lovely.”
Elias ran his hand through his hair and gently tapped his head. “I don’t remember anything since the medicine talk when we were in the plane.” He ran to the window. “Where is that, by the way?”
“In the U-Haul.”
“What U-Haul?”
“The one that belongs to the chocolate maker.”
He slowly turned. “Which you rented for me?” His face lit up.