Page 106 of Lost

“I’m worried that worse will happen to Kev,” I said.

“Then we must get to him and warn him,” Grandma said. “Zoey, pack up the rest of those cookies. I’ll get my basket. It’ll only take me a moment to get ready.”

“Where are you going, Grandma?” I asked.

“With you, of course.”

“But where?”

“To the headquarters of the Resistance. Kevin is spying for them, so they’ll be able to reach him.”

Rephaim, Stevie Rae, and I exchanged a look. I cleared my throat and said, “Um, Grandma, how about you tell us where they are and we’ll go. From what Kevin told us, it’s really dangerous out there.”

Grandma stopped just before climbing the stairs to her room. “U-we-tsi-a-ge-ya,am I a frail old woman in your world?”

Stevie Rae snorted a laugh and answered before I could. “No way, Grandma! You’re awesome. You were even captured by Neferet once, put in a cage, and tortured, but you survived.”

“And thrived!” Rephaim added.

“Of course I did. Because I am not a frail old woman. Children, this world is filled with danger, but I am part of the Resistance. I stand up and fight Darkness. Anything else is unconscionable. And, besides that, you need my help to get to their camp.”

“Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry I doubted you,” I said.

“Grandma, how far away is the Resistance camp?” Stevie Rae asked.

“Oh, it’ll take about an hour and a half.”

“That might be a problem. It’s gonna be dawn in an hour and forty-eight minutes,” Stevie Rae said.

“Oh, that’s right, child. You’re a red vampyre and sun is deadly to you. Well, let’s see. We’ll take my delivery van. There are no windows in the back and I’ll bet your young man is handy enough to rig a blanket as a curtain to keep out the sun in the rear from the front window, and we’ll hurry. The Resistance is situated in a cave, so you’ll be fine once we reach them.”

Stevie Rae looked at Rephaim and then back at Grandma.

“Is there more I should know? Are red vampyres from your world especially susceptible to the sun, even if they’re protected from it?”

“No! Actually, if it’s overcast and we’re covered up, we can go outside during the day,” Stevie Rae said.

“But it’s uncomfortable for them,” I added. “Go ahead, tell Grandma about Rephaim. She’ll understand.”

“Okay, here goes—Rephaim used to be a Raven Mocker, but he turned from Darkness to follow the Goddess, and Nyx forgave him, giftin’ him with a human body.”

“But only between sunset and sunrise,” Rephaim continued. “While the sun is in the sky I take the form of a raven. It is my penance for the terrible things I did before I met and loved Stevie Rae.”

Stevie Rae took his hand. “It’s okay. Everybody messes up. It’s just that your saying sorry is complicated because your mess up was super bad.” She looked at Grandma Redbird. “But he really is sorry. And he really does follow Nyx now. Promise.”

Grandma was staring at Rephaim as if she was just now really seeing him. “Raven Mocker—I haven’t heard that terrible name spoken for many decades.”

“It is a past I regret,” Rephaim said.

“Raven Mockers are half-man, half-raven creatures of Darkness who target the weak and helpless, or the sick and dying. They are vile. You must have great good within you for Nyx to have forgiven you,” Grandma said. “And if Nyx can see that great good, then so shall I. So, young woman, what you are saying is that we must also be prepared for your mate to transform into a raven at sunrise?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then we best hurry. That’s something we must let the Resistance leaders know about, preferablybeforeit happens. I do have a request, though.”

“Name it,” Rephaim said.

“I would like to hear the story of how you came into being. Raven Mockers are only spirits in this world, not flesh—not something anyone could ever love.”