Discovering Normal (17 page)

Still, something seemed rotten in the state of Denmark.

And then The Most Masterful laughed--loud and sure--for Denmark had been the birth of it all--the beginning. Jaelyn was the alpha and now, here in a quiet land of spirituality, Flora-Sky was the omega--the culmination.

And how very elementary of him it would be not to question her loyalty. Of course at times it was necessary to simply believe, but was it not also necessary for even The Divine to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that she was worth her salt?

The Most Masterful closed the pearl cufflinks at his sleeve. Which course of action would be best?

Swiftest?

Slyest?

And then he smiled.

He knew the woman who called herself Beth Williams
-
Stoddard loved the lesser--the furry creatures of the field and wood and home. He’d heard from his soldier of information that she’d doctored mangy dogs and found homes for kittens. Helped birth foals and stroked the coats of the useless rabbits that her very mortal son had asked to raise.

But, Farley-Fauna the Divine hadn’t much cared for Xedius, the beloved pet of The Master. Though she’d taken immediately to the mare in the gated yard that he’d given her, Farley-Fauna always shunned the timid animal known as a ferret to those who were too unworthy to realize that the creature possessed inherent knowledge of the truth.

The Most Masterful recalled his father telling of Farley-Fauna’s lack of interest--the only issue that had concerned him regarding her suitability to transcend time and space and matter. And The Most Masterful himself had noted it too when, as a child, he’d raised the small creature to her view when she wandered the courtyard. She’d smile and nod and touch her silky hair without ever touching poor Xedius.

The creature had been slain with The Master--crushed by his body that fell from the Evil One’s strike as he still clutched Xedius close. It seemed fitting and poignant that they’d disappear together in a blaze of redemption and sacrifice.

And how brilliant Xedius’ very existence had been.

The Most Masterful snatched a receiver and pushed just one button, for the device knew whom he needed most at what time. “Find a descendant of the Majestic Xedius.”

There was a pause and then grunt of affirmation.

“And it will soon be necessary to move the Evil One to the dark chamber. When I send forth the signal, move him without hesitation and with much speed.” He disconnected and yawned once again.

A guy couldn’t be too cautious.

***

Morning broke through and Beth opened her eyes at the high beam of light sneaking in. She had slept and she hadn’t come even close to finding her husband.

A young girl scurried about her room.

Carrie Anne Heasley.

“Good day,” she said when she noticed Beth was awake.

“And you as well.”

Beth sat up and tried to think how she could contact George and Deej with this girl right here.

“I’ve heard of your legacy.”

Beth walked to the table that the girl had covered with breakfast; muffins, fruit and fluffy eggs with large pitchers of juices--orange and crimson. “I have none.”

“But you do.”

Beth sat down and the girl poured a tall glass of the red juice. “Have you been here long?” Beth asked and for a flash, she thought she read understanding. The girl met her eyes, held for a moment and then went back to her task.

“Your first time hence, you brought evil. The evil came for you.”

Beth took a bite of the egg concoction. “You have heard the story of lore.”

“Evil is close at hand even still, but it is possible to transform it. I believe that.”

“You believe what?”

The girl set the pitcher down and rubbed circles in her abdomen. “I have drawn from the once evil, now repentant.”

What the hell?

Beth chewed, swallowed, took a sip and tried not to scream or cry or stomp her feet. “In what way?”

“The true evil one who pulled you from here.”

Beth took another stab of the eggs just for something to do. “The true evil one?”

“The one you foolishly built a life with.”

She was talking about Chris. “I know of who you speak.”

“You are tarnished now.”

Beth set her fork down. Was this girl baiting her or too dumb to know that she was revealing too much? “How so?”

“By becoming one with the evil one.”

“And this tarnishment of which you speak--how shall it affect me?”
             
The girl opened a cabinet, removed a wrap identical to the one Beth wore and set it on the bed. “It already has.”

Okay, she was getting pissed. “I have been absent from the beloved Flora-Sky for some time now. I don’t understand your words.”

The girl turned. She was so young; what had she seen? Why had she given up her identity for this when she had a life somewhere else?

“He is being purged of his error.”

And the first glimmer of hope. “How so?”

“You are concerned about the one of evil who has tricked you?”

“Curious.”

“What of the children you created--the children who will know only sorrow?”

And it was then that Beth came close to snapping that well trained Yankee reserve. But she sucked in a breath and kept right on acting effectively enough to rival her performance as Emily in
Our Town
senior year. “The children no longer belong to me. I cannot be a mother.”

The girl slid her palm over her stomach, once, twice, three times. “But I shall.”

Oh no. Another one.
“You are with child
?
”

“Yes. Just recently.”

“The Most Masterful is most prolific.”

“But it is not him. I am not yet
fit
to carry the child of one so great. But I have been chosen to be the receptacle of the gift.”

Oh dear lord, could they just make sense?

Beth took another sip of juice to calm her. “And what of this gift?”

The girl swung her shoulders in a teasing mode as if she’d won the best prom date. “The one who you drew life from. The evil one. His power is great, but had been misused. Now he has put it to good use in the Flora-Sky. Though this child will not be worthy to rule, it shall be worthy to assist.”

Oh My God
!

Beth grabbed the table so she wouldn’t give it all away and fall into a chair. Chris had gotten this young girl pregnant?

Beth closed her eyes, but then remembered and opened them. They’d forced him of course, forced him into it. But what did it matter? If she were lucky enough to pull this off and get him out, Chris would never turn his back on his own child. And though she’d known with very little uncertainty that their life together was through, now it
had
to be. There was too much that had gone wrong.

She wanted to cry to Deej that she couldn’t do it a second more, but she couldn’t do that because they’d all be dead. She prayed for strength and trudged ahead. “I care not.”

“For you were chosen long ago by The Master.”

“I was.”

“And this child is atonement.”

Beth swallowed and tried to remember those breathing exercises from labor. “What of this evil one turned victor?”
             
The girl smiled and gave a little twirl. “He rests for a time.”

“Where?”

She shook her head. “I am not about to participate in folly.”

“I only seek to be assured that he is kept far from me, for his absence is my redemption.”

Carrie Anne Heasley from Manhattan picked up Beth’s breakfast tray. “Then stay far from the west turret room.”

She left with a swish of the door.

Beth snatched the microphone from her chest and turned her back to the door. “Deej,” she whispered.

“I’m here.”

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes. Sorry, Bethie.”

She felt that tickly feeling that made you want to sneeze when tears were waiting to fall, but blinked them back. “He’s here. She told me where to find him.”

“Don’t do it alone.”

“I have to.”

“She may have been playing with you, Beth. Holden’s a sick fuck.”

“And she may not be. If it’s a trick, then storm the place.”

Deej gave a sad chuckle and George came on the line. “This is torture, Beth. The waiting. Just try and locate the guns--”

“I have located them, George. I wasn’t able to tell you yesterday, but I saw them. They’re being put to use by the thugs at the gate.”

“They’re using military weapons to guard the doors?”
”Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m certain and I’m heading up to find Chris.”

“Bethie--”

“I’m going to find a way to get to him. I know he’s in the west turret. I’ll be in touch,” she said and disconnected.

Chapter 1
9

Beth washed, changed her wrap and moved to the door only to find it locked. How dumb was that--thinking that she’d just waltz out of here and wander the fortress?

She heard a small rap and startled when the door opened and Bryan Holden sauntered in. He wasn’t a bad looking man--not her type certainly; he was too pretty to be rouge and too small to be seductive--but she could see how a naïve co
-
ed looking for some excitement in her life could be swayed by his boyish charms.

Too bad he was deranged.

He closed the heavy door behind him and entered the room without an invitation. “I slept not at all. My mind was filled with visions of you present.”

“I am honored, Most Masterful.”
             
He tilted his head and gave an odd smirk. “Tell me, Farley-Fauna, what prompted your return to your true home in Flora-Sky?”

George and Deej had talked about this--it was a rehearsed question. Beth tried to think fast. “I suddenly became aware that I’d left the place which I truly belong.”

“How did you find our new sanctuary? Jaelyn existed far from here.”

Beth drifted to a chaise and sat down with flourish. “I honestly do not know. Something, some force, guided me. I was not even certain that it would be you and the Flora-Sky that I encountered.”

Beth’s heart beat a steady rhythm--pulsing through her veins and pumping her blood--as she waited. Bryan Holden simply stared, not blinking, not speaking, just looking.

Why the hell wouldn’t he just go--leave and let her be the cavalry in Chris’ life for once? But Bryan Holden--The Most Masterful of all lunatics--wouldn’t be doing that.

“I take it you’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that it was in fact your people awaiting your return here
to
our new realm.”

“Aye.”

He moved toward her, smelling surprisingly of
Old Spice
, and reached out to lightly, almost reverently, stroke her hair. “Oh, I’ve been waiting, Farley-Fauna. Now all is complete.”

Beth lifted her chin and tried to steady her heart that pounded so loudly, Deej and George were certain to hear it through the tiny microphone chip. “I’m proud to serve as your completion, My Master.”

He held a strand of her hair in his hand and rubbed the ends through his fingers. “I trust you implicitly, Farley-Fauna.”

“As you should, Master.”

“You shall be my bride.”

Beth sucked in her breath, but managed to nod. “That is my hope.”
             
“Does it surprise that I still
would
choose you even as I recall that your foolish decision to cleave to the one of evil cost us much?”

Beth exhaled. “I believe it is my determined course. If I may be so bold as to ask though, My Master, is it not troubling to you that I am both older and not untouched?”

He allowed her hair to fall. “There is no age--no frames of time to confine us. As long as you’re able to bear children, it is of no concern to me. Secondly, only the weak and transparent persona which you mistook as truth has been touched, my love. Farley-Fauna
t
he Divine is still as pure as driven snow and sanctity.”

Beth swallowed and hoped she appeared grateful, not disgusted.

“And what of your children of this other life?” he asked then with a cross of his arms.

A picture of Noah and Audrey flashed in her mind. She should be buying costumes and stuffing candy into tiny paper sacks decorated with silly Frankenstein monsters and haunted houses with smiling black cats patrolling, not sitting at the mercy of a madman. But Noah and Audrey’s father should be shoving in a
Milky Way
or two himself and she had to remember that.