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“But not Ahone?”
“No. From what little we know, the Algonquians believed that Ahone didn’t interact much with the human world.”
“So, if someone put Okeus’s symbol on their body, would it protect themfromOkeus or claimthemforOkeus?”
He was silent for several seconds, and I could tell he was searching for the answer. “I don’t know. I’m guessing claim them. But again, I’ve never heard of that being done.”
“What about Ahone? What is his symbol?” Butterflies threatened to explode from my stomach.
His eyes narrowed as he studied me. “I’m not sure.”
“Please, Dr. Preston. This is important.”
“Why?”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
His voice softened. “You’re running out of time. Okay.” He studied the phone for several seconds. “The symbols on this tattoo are very similar to the ones on the doors. Can you tell me why they’re there?”
It seemed like a small favor to grant. “Protection.”
“Against what?”
I didn’t answer.
He sighed and handed me the phone, then placed Daddy’s glasses on the desk. “Off hand, I don’t know the mark for Ahone. Frankly, I’m surprised I remember Okeus’s. But he is much more prominent in the few stories we’ve gathered. The Native Americans said he was the god who walked among them.”
I snorted. “That doesn’t surprise me.” That had proven true from my experiences as well.
He grabbed my right hand, and I resisted the urge to pull back. He spread my fingers open, revealing the mark on my palm. “What’s this?”
“What’s it look like?”
His eyebrows rose as he stared up at me. “Are you always this defensive?”
I forced my shoulders to relax. “I didn’t used to be.”
“But things have been crazy over the last few weeks?”
I gave him a soft smile. He’d thrown my words back at me. “Yeah.”
“This town must have been chaos when the village first appeared. I bet it’s like when Kennedy was assassinated and 9/11. People here will always remember what they were doing when it happened.”
He still held my hand, examining my mark. I didn’t answer, wondering why his touch made me feel equally tense and relaxed.
“What wereyoudoing when you heard, Ellie?”
“Um…” Why did he want to know? Idle curiosity? I doubted it, but I also saw no harm in answering. “I’m a waitress at the New Moon restaurant a couple of blocks away. I was working the lunch shift when the manager of Kitty Hawk Kites came in and told us.”
“Roanoke is such an important part of your life here in Manteo that it had to be traffic-stopping news. What was the first thing that came to mind when you heard the Lost Colony was no longer lost?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged in frustration.
“Yes you do. What was it?”
“Why do you want to know?”
A devilish grin crossed his face. “Indulge me.”
