The Reckoning (The Sentinel Series Book 4) Read online

  Seth looked furious at this, and stepped forward to say something to Isaac.

  ‘Seth…’ I muttered, weakly, catching his attention. I wasn’t going to have Seth start to argue with Isaac after what he had just done for me.

  Seth nodded, visibly calming down, as he understood what I wanted. ‘Erm, thanks Isaac… shall I take her?’

  ‘Well, be careful, she’s got two broken ribs, she doesn’t need to be jostled about. It could puncture her lungs.’

  Seth scowled again at being told he needed to be gentle with me, but to his credit he didn’t say anything. Isaac carefully transferred me into Seth’s arms.

  ‘Seth I’m so sorry,’ I said.

  Seth frowned. ‘Evie, do you honestly think I care that my treacherous brother is dead, I would have killed him myself if I’d known what he was planning. You’re the most important person in my life, no one else comes close.’

  ‘I’m sorry about before,’ I said. I couldn’t bear to fight with him anymore.

  ‘I’m sorry too,’ he said, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

  I saw Lucas and a few of the others running down the hill towards us. It discomforted them, I could feel that, that one of their own had betrayed me. But I wondered how many more of them were actually plotting against me. With the recent attacks and the ever increasing threat of the Putarians, the fort seemed less and less safe.

  ‘It might be a good idea if we get away from here for a while,’ Lucas said, falling in by my side.

  ‘There are hundreds of Guardians here ready to die for her,’ argued Eli.

  ‘And probably as many that want her to die for them if it means they get their forty million,’ Isaac said.

  Suddenly they all stiffened and Seth stopped. I wriggled round to see what had caused them to go quiet and gasped.

  ‘Seth put me down.’

  Seth did as he was told, but as soon as my feet touched the ground, pain shot through my side. Seth wrapped his arm round me, taking my weight.

  Jonah was standing before us, his body riddled with holes as big as golf balls, blood poured from him. He sank to his knees.

  ‘Somebody get Cassidy quick,’ I said, all grogginess suddenly gone with what was happening before me.

  One of the outer guard disappeared up the hill towards the fort.

  ‘Jonah, was this Adam?’

  Jonah nodded, his face pale and weak. Adam had got to him just like he’d said he would.

  ‘I can’t heal you, my powers have been blocked,’

  ‘What?’ Jonah said, alarmed.

  ‘A temporary thing I’m sure, nothing Cassidy won’t be able to handle, once she’s healed you that is.’

  Jonah shook his head fiercely. ‘Eve, it’s my time,’ he laughed hollowly. ‘It was my time two hundred years ago actually and I’ve been living on borrowed time ever since. My life has been saved over a hundred times, in my six hundred and seventy four years. I’m tired and I’m ready to go now,’ he laughed again. ‘I didn’t think I would die like this, not at the hands of Adam, not in pain and covered in my own blood, but now is as good a time as any.’

  I didn’t like the finality of his attitude. And what about the end of the world, did he not want to be there to see his invention at work, to know whether he had been successful or not. What did he know that I didn’t? What did he not want to be there for?

  ‘Jonah, just hang on, Cassidy will be here in a minute—’

  ‘Eve, I didn’t come to you to be healed, there’s something you need to see. You need to know what happens at the end…’ He raised a shaky hand towards me and suddenly my head was filled with images.

  Images of fire, the sky ablaze with flames. People screaming, shouting, running, but the images were fast and I couldn’t make sense of them. Then they slowed, almost as if Jonah had fast forwarded through those parts and this was the part he wanted me to see. I saw myself land in my bedroom, my Guardians, Seth and my friends waiting for me. But as I landed, I watched as my future self collapsed. Seth caught her, sat down and pulled her onto his lap.

  ‘She’s dead,’ he said, his voice filled with agony.

  My veins turned to ice.

  I continued to watch the prophecy as Lucas joined Seth, checking her pulse also. His nod confirmed Seth’s words.

  I felt sick. I was going to die, the world seemingly had been saved but I died saving it.

  The images fast forwarded again and I found myself watching my funeral. Hundreds of my Guardians, the Donum and Zeki, I recognised from Amelie’s church, and villagers I had never met, surrounded a plinth where my body rested. Seth, Eli, Lucas and Isaac lowered my body into a coffin and closed the lid. They covered the coffin with branches and set light to it. Soon the coffin was ablaze, as was my body within.

  Then suddenly the images stopped, as if my connection with Jonah had been severed.

  I looked over at Jonah in confusion, but he was dead. His eyes, unseeing, stared up at the sky.

  Chapter 12

  Blood pounded in my ears. I knew I was going to be sick.

  ‘Eve,’ Seth prompted gently. ‘Are you OK? What did he show you?’

  I shook my head as Cassidy came running down the hill towards us.

  ‘Cassidy,’ I found my voice, but it sounded empty in my ears. ‘Can you do anything for him?’

  Cassidy knelt by Jonah’s body, holding her hands over his heart and head, her hands glowed for a short moment, but then she shook his head.

  ‘He’s dead Eve, there’s nothing I can do.’

  I nodded, numbly.

  Cassidy stood and moved slowly to my side, she could see I was in shock.

  ‘Eve, what can I do for you?’

  What could she do for me? Could she freeze time so the end never came? Could she somehow save me at the end? If she was there with Seth she could heal me before I died. But obviously she didn’t. What Jonah had showed me was a prophecy, there was no doubt about that. It would happen.

  ‘Erm… she has two broken ribs, a broken hip, I would hazard that her cheek bone is broken too, her powers are blocked and I suspect she has some sort of tranquilizer in her blood,’ Isaac said, explaining the situation when I couldn’t do so myself.

  Cassidy stepped closer and healed me, first releasing my body of the drugs, then healing the broken bones. But still I stood numb.

  Cassidy stepped back after she had finished, looking at me with confusion, I saw her gaze flicker to Seth in concern.

  Seth wrapped his arm round my waist, pulling me gently towards him. ‘Eve… are you OK?’

  I nodded, vaguely.

  I was aware of all my Guardians standing around me anxiously.

  ‘Maybe you should go for a lie down for a bit…’ Seth trailed off, helpless to know what to suggest.

  I nodded again, not really sure what I was nodding to. But I needed time to think.

  I started to move towards the fort, slowly, then found myself starting to quicken, by the time I reached the stairs leading up to my bedroom, I was running up them. I needed to be alone, just for a few minutes so I could think it through.

  I ran into the bedroom, ahead of Seth as he stopped to talk to Quinn. I heard the explanation of what Trey had done to me, but Trey’s betrayal seemed so insignificant all of a sudden. I wanted to get away from Seth. I didn’t want to talk to him right now, I couldn’t. How could I tell him that our dream future, our daughter and any other children, our life on our island, was never going to happen now? I couldn’t even form the words in my head.

  I quickly went into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. A second later I heard Seth, Lucas and Quinn come into the bedroom.

  ‘Eve!’ Seth called out.

  I sat down in the corner, burying my face in my knees. I felt sick, physically sick. I heard a set of footsteps head towards the bathroom. ‘Eve?’

  I looked up, partly wanting to shout out so he wouldn’t worry, partly wanting to hide in the bathroom for the rest of my short life.

  Someone
turned the handle of the bathroom door and I heard a grunt of frustration as they realised the door was locked.

  ‘Eve, open the door,’ Seth said, clearly not happy about being locked out.

  I didn’t dare move. How would I even begin to have that conversation with him?

  ‘Is she still here?’ Quinn asked.

  ‘Yes, I can feel her,’ Lucas said. His connection with me had always been something that no other Guardian had, not even Seth. ‘She’s… scared and upset, really upset.’

  ‘Evie baby, open the door?’ Seth called.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Eli said, as he clearly joined the party.

  ‘Eve’s locked herself in,’ Quinn said and I could hear the worry in his voice.

  Suddenly Seth appeared in the bathroom with me, clearly deciding not to wait outside anymore.

  I looked up at him and without saying a word he sat down by my side, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

  ‘What we doing in here Evie?’ Seth said, gently.

  ‘Well I’m hiding from you, I’m not quite sure what you’re doing in here,’ I muttered, angry that my beautiful future with Seth had been snatched from my grasp.

  Seth, unperturbed by my words, held me to him tighter. ‘Why are you hiding from me?’

  ‘Because I don’t want to talk to you.’

  Seth nodded, with understanding. ‘Right, of course,’ he kissed my forehead. ‘Now just so I know, is this something I’ve done, or something else?’

  ‘No, it’s not you, of course it’s not you, how could it be? You’re perfect and beautiful and patient and kind, how could it ever be about you.’

  ‘Right,’ Seth said, nodding sympathetically. ‘Sorry about that.’

  This would be so much easier to handle if it only affected me, I had nearly died so many times now, that the prospect of my early demise didn’t really bother me, anymore. The only thing that upset me was not being able to spend the rest of my long life with Seth. But what upset me more than anything was how Seth would react to this news. He would be distraught.

  ‘Is this to do with Trey?’

  I shook my head.

  ‘This is what Jonah showed you?’

  I nodded.

  Seth was silent then, waiting for me to explain.

  I stood up. I couldn’t tell him this sitting on the cold bathroom floor. I unlocked the door and stepped out. Eli, Quinn and Lucas were all waiting for me, clearly all worried.

  I had to tell all of them, but I had to tell Seth first.

  ‘I need a word with Seth alone.’

  Eli and Lucas nodded and left. Quinn flashed me a look of concern before he left too.

  Seth sat down on the bed and waited as I wore a path in the carpet. How could I put this into words?

  Eventually Seth took my hand and pulled me firmly onto his lap.

  I sighed and closed my eyes. ‘Seth I’m going to die.’

  There was silence from Seth and I opened one eye to check on his reaction. He seemed very calm.

  ‘OK, so we just need to know where and when so we can be ready, we’ll put measures in place to make sure it doesn’t happen, we’ll intensify the Guardians, we’ll have Cassidy on standby…’ he trailed off at my gaze.

  ‘Seth… there’s nothing you can do. It’s the end of the world, I save the world apparently and then I die.’

  Seth stared at me, his face frozen, then after the silence had dragged on forever, he carefully slid me off his lap and stood up.

  ‘You die?’

  I bit my lip and nodded.

  ‘I have four more days with you and then lose you forever?’

  I nodded again.

  ‘And our future together, our children… none of that is going to happen now?’

  Tears filled my eyes. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Seth took a step towards me, to comfort me, but then he changed his mind, he stormed across the room towards the window, his fists clenched.

  With an anguished cry of pain, he suddenly picked up a chair and smashed it against the wall. I quickly shielded myself as splinters of wood exploded across the room.

  Eli and Lucas burst in just as Seth threw an ottoman across the room. I shook my head at them as they moved to stop him. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I could see how much agony he was in.

  As he punched his fist through the wardrobe door I ran over to stop him. I grabbed his fist as he took a swing for the wardrobe door again. ‘You’ll hurt yourself.’

  He stopped to look at me, incredulously as I ran my fingers over the cuts on the back of his hand and let my healing powers flow through him, wishing I could heal the pain he was in on the inside.

  ‘This is nothing in comparison to the agony I’m feeling in my heart,’ Seth said.

  I pressed a kiss to his knuckles and as Eli and Lucas could see the storm had passed, they left us alone. But as soon as the door was closed, he snatched his hand from mine.

  Anger burst from me. ‘Do you think this is easy for me? Do you think I want this? All I wanted was to spend the rest of my life curled up on the beach of our little island wrapped in your arms. I thought that once the saving of the world was done, that’s what would happen. I love you, all I wanted was to be with you. And now we’ll never have that.’

  Tears flooded my cheeks and Seth cupped my face in his hand, wiping them away with his thumb before he kissed me hard, his arm round my waist, pulling me tightly against him, then pulling me down onto the bed. He clung to me holding me so tight I could barely breathe as he sobbed against me. I cried too, my beautiful future with him was gone.

  Eventually his sobs subsided and he was quiet, though he still clung tightly to me, as he lay listening to my heart beat.

  When the sun began to sink into the mountains, Seth stood up and went to stand at the window watching the red and gold patterns in the sky, though I knew he wasn’t really seeing it.

  When the sun had disappeared completely, and tiny stars started peppering the inky sky, he came back to me, sitting down beside me. He seemed calmer now. Resigned, but calmer.

  ‘We need to tell your Guardians.’

  I nodded and stood up to open the door. I had to tell them all at once, I couldn’t go through it several times, it was too much emotionally for me.

  But they clearly already knew something was up as all of my personal guard, the outer guard, Quinn, Persia and Izri were waiting outside. The only ones missing were Zach and Deacon and I knew I had to tell them too.

  I held the door open and they all filed in. I reached out for the bond of Zach and Deacon and called them to me.

  I sat down on the bed and Seth took my hand but I didn’t dare look at them when I spoke.

  ‘I’m… When Jonah showed me a prophecy before he died, he showed me my funeral. I saw myself dying. Apparently, I save the world and then I die.’

  There was a deafening silence for the longest while. Minutes dragged on and no one said anything. But what could they say.

  Persia got up and walked out crying, Izri followed her. Zach suddenly stormed out and Deacon chased after him. Members of my outer guard drifted out too. They all looked to be in complete shock.

  I glanced around the room at my personal guard and my brother. Some of them looked angry, some looked absolutely devastated but still no one said a word.

  In the end it was Quinn that broke the silence.

  ‘This is ridiculous. I thought you weren’t going to be a puppet for the Oraculum, and now, because of them, because of what they have told you, you’re willing to walk to your death.’

  ‘I have no choice,’

  ‘Of course you do, nothing is set in stone, you know that, don’t choose to die.’

  ‘Then we all die Quinn, every single one of us.’

  Quinn stalked away from me, his body clenched angrily as he paced back and forth across the room.

  I turned to Seth, who was watching Quinn with obvious interest. Seth caught me looking at him, and he forced a smile on his face.


  He stood up, and took Quinn by the arm. Quinn turned on him angrily, but his face calmed as soon as he took in Seth’s face. Instead of anger, his face was a picture of confusion.

  Without saying a word they both left.

  Seth would talk to him, he would get him to see reason, just as Seth had. I had no choice, they knew that.

  But they didn’t come back and one by one the other Guardians slowly left too. Lucas stayed with me and I lay down to go to sleep, though I knew there was very little chance without Seth.

  Eventually after what seemed like hours, I heard the bedroom door open.

  ‘Thanks Lucas,’ I heard Seth say, softly. ‘Is she awake?’

  ‘What do you think Seth?’ I heard Lucas get up.

  I sat up and watched him go, his shoulders stooped as he walked.

  Quinn hovered in the door as Seth lay down behind me.

  ‘Eve, I’m sorry for getting so angry earlier, and though I don’t like it, I understand that you have to do it,’ Quinn said, his voice forced.

  I got up and hugged him tightly. ‘I’m sorry too Quinn, I never wanted to hurt anyone, to hurt you, but it has to be this way.’

  Quinn nodded against me, but quickly left.

  I sat back down heavily on the bed, vaguely aware of Seth’s heat as he shuffled closer to me. I was hurting so many people. I should have been colder, then no one would miss me when I was gone.

  I felt Seth’s mouth on the back of my neck and I was suddenly acutely aware of everything that was my husband, his smell, the feel of his hot mouth on my skin, his hands running up my arms and onto my shoulders, his hand round my waist as he pulled me back against him.

  I lay down against him and Seth shifted me back so I was sitting on his lap.

  ‘Thank you,’ I said, holding his face in my hands as I kissed him.

  Seth frowned, slightly. ‘Eve… I’m doing my best to cope with this. I want you to know, that if I do or say something to upset you over the next few days, it’s just because I love you, don’t forget that, will you?’

  I frowned. ‘Do you have something particular in mind that will upset me?’

  Seth immediately shook his head. ‘No, it’s just… I’m finding this very difficult and I might not always be as calm as I am now, and I’m sorry if I…’