The Protector of Esparia (The Annals of Esparia Book 1) (50 page)

Jessica shook her head. “I can’t believe only four months have passed. It seems like a lifetime.”

Gaylee placed her hand on Jessica’s shoulder. “For you, it has been. Your friends are going to find you’ve changed. Be prepared for that.”

“I’ll call Rachel and have her meet you at SeaTac,” Jacob offered.

A meow at the door brought a lump to Jessica’s throat. She raced to open it and scooped Sneakers up into her arms. “I missed you soooo much,” she whispered.

Sneakers squirmed out of her grasp and scampered out of the kitchen. Surprised, she followed after him. He ran down the hallway, up the stairs and disappeared.

“Sneakers!” She followed him up to her room. Once through her bedroom door, Jessica stopped dead in her tracks. It was barren of nearly everything, including the books on her shelves and the pencils on her desk. Sophia had sent everything last thing Jessica owned to her apartment in Seattle.

Looking to the stripped down bed, Jessica spotted a ball of calico fur. “Sneakers!” He was curled up in the middle of her mattress. He twitched his ears. She plopped down beside him and stroked his fur. He looked at her blankly then closed his eyes. “Sneakers, what’s wrong?”

A warm sensation spread down her leg from her front pant pocket. She took the ball of persite in her hand, it softly glowed.

“You left me.” The words formed in her mind.

“I didn’t mean to leave you. I wasn’t given a choice, but I’m back now and I missed you more than you can ever know.” She put her face close to his. “I don’t blame you for being angry. I’m truly sorry.”

From under his ribs, she felt a shallow vibration. The purr grew stronger as she continued to pet him. “I forgive you.” He said, then licked her arm.

She spent well over an hour explaining to him where she had been and the things she had done. He stopped purring at the first mention of Varnack, but purred again at her reassuring touch.

“I’m leaving again,” she finally said, “but I won’t be gone long. I’m off to college, but I’ll be back in soon for the holiday. Grandma’s here and she’ll take care of you now.”

He licked her arm again. “Like Grandma.”

“All right,” she smiled. “I love you, Sneakers. I’ll bring you a toy.” At that, his tail twitched. She picked him up and gave him a gentle squeeze, then placed him back where he had been lying. When she walked out the bedroom door, his loud purring wished her a sweet farewell.

Jessica said good-bye to Gaylee and Sophia at home. It was an easy parting as Thanksgiving vacation was just around the corner, so she would not be gone from them for long. “Take good care of Sneakers for me, Grandma. He likes you.”

“Don’t worry Jess, I’ll give him lots of love.”

With her package from Edia as her only luggage, Jessica stood ready to go. Jacob drove her to the airport and they reached the security gate with only a few minutes to spare. “Here, this is for you.” He reached into his coat pocket and handed her a thick envelope. “This has money and your school documents in it. We’ve already paid your tuition and rent. Your Grandma will put your finances in order now that she’s back.”

“Thanks, Jacob. You’re awesome.” She threw her free arm around his neck, giving him a big hug.

“Good luck,” he said kindly and waved goodbye when she passed through the metal detectors.

The flight left on time and Jessica found herself seated next to a window. The city lights grew smaller and smaller as the plane climbed into the night sky. Within minutes of leaving Spokane, her view of the earth below as well as the stars above became obscured by thickening clouds. With nothing of interest to see, she wiggled into a comfortable position and drifted off to sleep.

Within minutes, the mists outside the high flying aircraft invaded her dreams and she found herself surrounded by them. She knew enough about this type of dream to close her eyes and stretch her mind. Off to one side she felt a gentle pull. She had not traveled for very long when a distant, rhythmic thumping came to her ears. One, two, three, swish, someone paced.

“I can’t believe this is happening to me,” a deep voice grumbled. Daenon! Jessica was shocked.

“I thought I had grandfather’s prophecy beaten.”

She wondered who he was talking to.

“Locked in my mother’s cell. I’ll bet they think that’s quite poetic, but I’m not defeated yet. That prophecy gives me another chance, and I won’t make the same mistakes twice. Grandfather, always the poet. ‘Dark succeeds to twice arise, with army fierce in strength and size.’ They don’t know the meaning of fierce. When I’m free again, there will be a cry of death the likes of which have never been heard before.”

Jessica was stunned. She had given little thought to Anton’s parting comment, but now the words of the prophecy came clearly into her mind. ‘When light returns with allies strong, keep justice true, do not go wrong.’ She would be going back.

A distant voice interrupted her thoughts. “The captain has turned on the seatbelt sign. We are making our final approach to SeaTac airport.”

Jessica opened her eyes. The plane was nearly to Seattle. Looking out the window, the lights of the city grew ever brighter as the plane descended below the cloud cover. Seattle weather looked overcast, but there was no fog and it was dry.

After disembarking the plane, she followed the other passengers up the concourse to where she hoped Rachel would be waiting. Crossing the security barrier, she looked over a sea of unfamiliar faces.

A good-sized crowd milled about, people waiting for friends and loved ones to come from the planes, but Rachel was not among them. Finally, Jessica spied someone she knew, a tall, handsome young man who made her heart beat faster.

“Thomas,” she breathed. He walked toward her, a little hesitantly.

“I hope you don’t mind, but when Rachel told me you were on your way I asked if I could pick you up.”

“No, I don’t mind at all.”

He was just as she remembered him. Soft, kind eyes, and a smile that made her go weak in the knees. The look on his face when he saw her was enough to convince her she had made the right decision to come back.

“I brought you this from my trip to Europe.” He reached inside his coat pocket and pulled a bar of fine chocolate. “Last time we met you said you wanted about a pound.”

She was amazed he had remembered. “Ohhh….a pound sounds really good.” She took the bar from him.

He took her free hand firmly in his. “I missed you,” he said. “How was your summer?”

Jessica gazed up at him.
Should I tell the truth?
She thought
. He’ll never believe me.
The ball of persite pulsated warmly in her front jean pocket while she searched his face.
Then again, maybe he would.

About the author

Lisa Wilson is a registered nurse who has seven great children.

She loves Doctor Who and the Sci-fi Channel.

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