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"Make sure that you are.” The ring disappeared and a cell phone took its place. “Slip this inside your skirt. Your bags will probably be searched the first day, so keep the phone on you until after that happens."
"Will the phone work in there?"
"I don't see why not. Weylin couldn't afford to completely cut off the town, or he'd have people out here investigating."
She nodded and slipped the phone into her skirt pocket. Jake lifted the second pack, then pulled Nikki forward and hugged her fiercely. “Take care in there."
"I will.” She hugged him back just as fiercely, all too aware that if things went wrong in Hartwell, she might not see him again. After a while, she pulled back and added, “Not that any of you can do anything if things should go haywire."
"He won't kill you or Michael,” Camille commented. “He needs you both alive for the ceremony."
" If he is trying to raise his brother. You have no real proof that's his goal." "Seline says it is, and that's good enough for me.” Camille grabbed Nikki's hand, her fingers like cold parchment against Nikki's skin.
"Here,” she added, placing something cool and metallic into Nikki's hand. “Take this. We found it in the van."
Nikki's mouth went dry. It was the silver cross she had given Michael when they'd first met.
"It may help jog his memory—if you can get him to wear it." Not trusting herself to speak, Nikki nodded. She wrapped her fingers around the chain and felt the tingle of energy run up her arm. The images from the cross came through muted, as if viewed from a distance and distorted by layers of dusty glass.
But she could feel him. Feel his anger. His despair. Seline was right. Deep inside, he thought her dead, and the agony of it was tearing him apart.
Tears stung her eyes. She blinked them away and spun around. “Let's get this over with." The three of them walked down to the single white stone that indicated the entrance. Jake dumped the pack at her feet and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Someone's headed this way,” he commented.
Someone who looked a lot like the gnarled van driver, Nikki thought, eyeing the lean figure apprehensively. He walked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and even from this distance, the sense of his evil was something that crawled across her skin. Goose bumps fled down her spine. Swallowing to ease the sudden dryness in her throat, she glanced at Camille. “You'd better retreat. The note said I was the only one to be here."
"Yes.” The old witch paused, and then she gripped Nikki's shoulder, squeezing lightly. “Good luck. And remember, once you enter that place, you are Seline, not Nikki. Never once can you say your real name, in fear that Weylin will hear."
Nikki nodded. “I'll remember."
"When you can, call me, or if you need some words of wisdom. Ain't nothing much else I can offer once you go under the barrier.” Camille squeezed her shoulder a final time, then turned and walked back up the hill.
Nikki's gaze met Jake's. Neither of them said anything. Neither of them needed to. With a smile that was more a grimace, Jake kissed her forehead, and then quickly followed Camille. Nikki had never felt so alone in her life. Had never felt as frightened. Crossing her arms, she watched the slow approach of the wizened figure. He stopped ten feet away and glanced at his watch. He didn't say anything, just stood there, waiting. Given little other choice, she did the same.
After a while, energy began to buzz the air, standing the hairs on her arms on end. The old man glanced at his watch again, then motioned her forward.
Nikki picked up the second pack and walked to the right of the white rock. The tingling in the air grew stronger, slithering across her skin with the warm stickiness of blood. Every step became an effort, and the buzzing grew so loud it thundered through her head, matching the rhythm of her heart. Then it was gone, and she stumbled forward several steps before regaining her balance. The old man snorted. “I would have expected a little more grace from an old witch." She straightened and met his gaze. His eyes were the gray of ghosts. “Why?" His gaze slid down her body, becoming heated. Disgust shimmied through her. Old lecher ...
"I guess because I have a hard time imagining that someone so luscious could be so ... clumsy." The feeling of disgust increased. And while she was more than able to protect herself from lecherous old men, she had a feeling this old man might be more than he seemed. Might be her match physically and psychically.
She hitched the pack on her shoulder to a more comfortable position and said tartly, “Look, I can stand here and chat all day, but I thought Weylin wanted to see me?" The old man hawked and spat. The globule barely missed her boot. “Oh, he does. Thing is, you have to find him first."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, Weylin's well aware that you intend to disrupt the repetition of events so that the ceremony cannot be completed. So, he's given you an extra task, just to keep you occupied and on the right track." Like she really needed something extra to do. “Even giving me an extra task will disrupt the sequence."
"Not when there are only two occurrences that really matter. You coming here is one of them. I'll let you figure out the other."
Seline had given her five events that she considered “markers.” It could be anyone of them. It could be none of them. Nikki scrubbed a hand through her hair. “What's my task?" The old man grinned, revealing stained and rotten teeth. “There are eight rangers looking after this wreck of a town. Two of them will be sacrificed at midnight—unless you can find and save them."
"And Weylin's going to let me wander around unhindered?"
"Never said that.” His grin got bigger. “And can I add some friendly warnings?"
"You're going to whether I want you to or not."
"Ain't that a fact.” He hawked and spat again. “First, none of your magic will work in this place." The only magic she had was the only one that was important, and it was obviously still working, because this old man was seeing Seline, not her.
