Beyond (47 page)

Katherine stood up.
“
I ’
m sorry , but I need to leave. I hope I ’
m not too late. But before I go, we need to think about appointing the empty seats. We can ’
t be called the Twelve if there are only nine of us. I want you to consider my son and perhaps Michael as well.
”

“
Good choices, ”
Phillip agreed.

“
After we put this nightmare behind us, we can vote. I ’
ll keep you informed.
”
With a spin of her wings, she vanished, leaving the rest behind.

When the meeting ended, Michael took Claudia back to the dirt road on Crossroads. Claudia shivered faintly in Michael ’
s hold.

“
Are you okay? What ’
s wrong?
”
Michael asked .

“
Did you hear what Jeremiah and Katherine said? Aliah is alive in Callum ’
s body. We might as well call him Aliah. I didn ’
t kill him. It ’
s my fault .”
Claudia looked numb, not wanting to believe what she ’d heard.

Michael forced her to look at him.
“
Listen, Claudia. You did nothing wrong. It was nearly impossible to kill him in the first place, but you destroy ed him. He crumbled into nothing but ashes. How were you suppose to know his soul would enter Samuel ’
s body and then Callum ’s?
Even the Twelve didn ’
t know …
how could you ?
You were the hero that day. He would still be alive if it wasn ’
t for you.
”

“
You were there?
”
Claudia asked , looking confused.

Michael had forgotten Claudia couldn
’
t remember the memories of him.

“
Yes, I was there. I was always around…for you.
”

Claudia threw herself into his arms
.
She couldn ’
t remember, but knowing he was there, she was grateful .
Suddenly , Claudia backed away.
“
The apple…Callum or Aliah wanted me to eat the apple. He said he would bless it and after I ate it, it would help me remember.
”

Michael arched his brows.
“
So that is what you were going to do with the apple.
”

“
What would ’
ve happened if I did?
”
Claudia ’
s muscles tighten ed just at the thought of what she almost did.

“
I ’
m not sure, but I ’
m going to assume he was trying to take your powers.
”

“
My powers?
My powers are nothing compare d to his.
”

“
Claudia, you just need to believe in yourself. I can feel you holding back because you ’
re not embracing who you are.
You ’
ve been a human for so long, you ’
re afraid to let go.
”

“
Can you blame me, Michael? Everything happened so fast. I didn ’
t have a chance to breathe. I was a normal teenage gir l in high school with friends, a job …and I had a…mom . I should be worried about who is going to ask me to the p rom or what colleges w ill accept me , not this.
When I woke up from Island of Eden and couldn ’
t remember my past, that was the worst feeling.
”

Tears stream
ed down Claudia ’
s face. She looked away. How she hated to cry in front of Michael. She didn ’
t want to make him feel bad, but it was how she was feeling.
“
I felt so alone. I didn ’
t know who I was anymore. I didn ’
t even trust myself. Now the being I thought I killed is back , and the worst part is , I didn ’
t even have a clue.
”

“
He tricked us all.
”
Michael pulled Claudia into his arms, wiping her tears, holding her tenderly.
“
Let ’
s go find him and get rid of him once and for all.
”

“
Okay , ”
Claudia murmured, her words lost through Michael ’
s shirt. She had only said those words so she wouldn ’
t disappoint him.

When they got to Nubilus City, their team was nowhere to be seen. Michael wondered if he ’d misheard where they were meeting until Delilah appeared.

“
Claudia, Michael, ”
Delilah called, sounding urgent and friendlier than before. She approached them with great speed.
Giving Michael a seductive smile she started to speak, but lost her words when she stood in front of him, practically shoving Claudia out of the way.
“
I… him…I mean Davin…
.
”

Michael rolled his eyes
, and the fact that he didn ’
t flirt back to an attractive girl bas ically throwing herself at him made Claudia smile inwardly.
“
What is it?
”
Michael said with a slight ly irritated tone, trying not to sound rude.

“
Davin needs you. He ’
s in Paradisus.
”

“
Why is he in Paradisus? We were suppose to meet here. Where is everyone else?
”

“
Everyone else is on I sland of Eden.
”

“
Claudia, I ’
ll meet you at I sland of Eden. I need to go to Paradisus and find Davin.
”
Michael brushe d a soft kiss on Claudia ’
s forehead.

Before he could leave,
Claudia gripped his arms.
“
Please be careful, ”
she said with a look in her eyes Michael hadn ’
t seen in a while , t he look that said ‘
I need you.
’
With a giddy grin on his face, he nodded and disappeared.

When Claudia landed, she turned to look for
Delilah , thinking she would head back to join the others with her, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Strange , she thought. It didn ’
t matter to Claudia anyway ; she ’d rather be alone .
Claudia opened the double doors to enter her room. She was glad to be back to the smell of the ocean breeze, but before she went to find the others, she took a hot shower and changed her clothes —jeans, a red shirt , and the same black boots. Not only were the boots her favorite, they were a good place to hide the small dagger.

Seeing her comfortable bed, she wanted to take nap , though she didn ’
t really need one. It felt strange not to need sleep or to feel tired after so many days had passed . When she was ready, she headed toward Austin ’
s room. Oddly, not a sound echoed through the house.
“
Austin…Holly…
.
”
Claudia called, but no one answered.

As fast as she could she darted throughout the house, looking for her friends. She was just about to give up when she saw a door in the kitchen she had never opened before.
She felt something pulling her , l ike she knew they were there .

Holding her bow steady, her heart hammered faster as she slowly opened the door. The first thing she noted was the golden angelic cuffs that glowed so brightly in the dark.
Claudia thought she ’d found a cell that held d emons captive , but when she cracked the door wider she was in shock to see her friends instead. They were bound around the middle of their upper torso s and their mouth s were gag g ed.

“
Davin?
”
Claudia said, surprised to see him t here more than others.
Delilah had told Michael to go to Paradisus as requested by Davin. Not h ing seemed to fit.
Delilah wasn ’
t here and neither was Austin.

After the initial shock and hearing mumbling sounds from their mouth s , Claudia advance d forward. She tried to crack the b i nd s with her bow, but nothing happen. She finally understood when Holly shook her head, letting her know it wouldn ’
t work. Claudia did the only thing she thought could possibl y work. She recalled doing this in Specus when her friends were all bound. She narrowed her eyes on them and said, “
Recludo.
”
The b inds w ere released as the golden angelic cuffs fell to the ground to disappear.

“
What took you so long?
”
Holly grumbled.
“
I ’
m going to kill Delilah .
”

She didn
’
t answer Holly ’
s questions.
“
Where ’
s Austin?
”

“
How the heck should I know? I don ’
t keep track of you r boyfriend . I ’
m going to kill him too. He went to see Katherine and never came back.
”

Claudia brushed
off Holly ’
s comment. She knew Holly was upset.
“
But I was just ther e. Katherine and Austin aren ’
t there.
”

Claudia told the
A lpha team what Delilah had done and Holly told Claudia how Delilah tricked them, bound them and put them in the pantry. Knowing Michael was in Paradisus, they gathered that Delilah had tricked Austin as well.
There was no doubt where they had to go.

Chapter
31