The Sentinels of Eden, Books 1-4

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

My mouth opened and shut itself a couple of times as the meaning of what Harry was telling me sank in. When my voice finally obeyed me it came out sounding a bit like one of the Chipmunks. ‘You and I?’

‘Don’t tell me you haven’t had your suspicions,’ he said. ‘Things have been changing since the miners started nosing around. Their activities have been triggering something in you. Visions, at least. Am I right?’

I thought back to the dream I’d had of my aunt chained to the bulldozer. How it had been correct down to the way her bra strap had been slipping off her shoulder because her hands weren’t free to fix it. There had also been the vision I’d had of Tessa in front of the mirror. But those were hardly the only visions I’d ever had. Ever since I could remember I’d been experiencing odd, random flashes of people’s lives—especially if they were lying or being deceitful about something. Noah had told me it was just déjà vu but now Harry was implying it was something else. And I couldn’t deny that the latest visions had been much more … specific.

If in doubt, fall back on sarcasm. ‘And Aunt Lily too, I assume? Does she turn into a demon if we feed her after midnight?’

‘You aunt is a completely normal human.’

‘Now I know you’re lying,’ I said, but I knew he wasn’t. ‘Okay, so where is it?’ I laughed softly.

‘Near the river there’s a—’

‘No! Where’s my letter from Hogwarts? I know Australia is a long way for an owl to fly, but they’re very late. Still, I could probably agree to repeating at least some of high school if it means I get to—’

‘Lainie, please don’t. This is serious.’

‘Not a witch then? Fine. How about a half-blood daughter of a god? Can I control any of the elements? When do we leave for training camp so I can learn how to fight? Do I get to use a sword?’

The usually unflappable farmhand was so exasperated that he groaned and buried his head in his hands.

I stretched my legs out in front of me and tried again. ‘Please tell me that I can at least hunt demons!’ I peered around the small garden to find where Aunt Lily was hiding. Surely she was ready somewhere with a camera.

‘Lainie, please, this is no game.’ He looked me right in the eye. ‘We can’t do magic spells, we can’t control the elements, and we’re not demon hunters. We’re just farmers with a sacred duty to keep humans away from the land we belong to, and we only get given the power we need to be able to do our job. No more, no less, and only when we need it.’

The bleak honesty in his gaze was a powerful thing, and once again there was a genuine sympathy there that completely undid all my sarcastic defences—way too quickly for me to be able to adjust. He was telling the truth.

Reflexive anger took over. ‘I’m sorry, but are you trying to tell me that I’m not human?’ I stood up, clutching my empty mug like a stress ball. My temper was becoming a slippery thing to hold.

‘There is no good way to break this news to you, Lainie. I’m so sorry, but you need to know. Your soul is linked to this place. It’s an undeniable bond that will shape every choice you make from now on.’ Then he winced. ‘You won’t be able to leave.’

I slammed my mug down on the porch railing. I didn’t know the correct etiquette involved in responding to the news that I was a Cherub appointed by God as a sentinel of the Garden of Eden, but I felt fairly certain that a dramatic storming out could probably be justified, just this once. I got about four angry strides away before Harry changed the course of my life with just six easy words.

‘Can you hear the river crying?’

I stopped like I had seen a snake and turned, desperately searching his eyes for the truth. ‘You hear that? In your sleep?’ I whispered.

‘I always hear it,’ he replied, staring to the northwest. His ageless brown eyes revealed a deep longing that reflected the grief of the music far too well.

‘Is it always so sad?’

He stood up and walked over to me, then took my hands in his. As soon as his calloused fingers touched mine, my head was filled with wordless song, beautiful and devastating, yearning for something lost, calling …

‘No, Lainie, it used to energise and sustain me, like a drug. I could never stay away from the river for long, but now …’

‘I just want to turn it all off!’

Harry pulled me into his chest and hugged me, letting me pour out all my tiredness and confusion. It was the most physical contact we’d ever had. It was what I imagined a father would do.

‘Are you … ? Are we … ?’ I struggled to stop blubbering and get the words out, but I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bear to hear any more. I hated that I was crying again. And I hated Harry for the simple fact that I knew he wasn’t deliberately lying. I always knew. Harry believed that he was a Cherub, and so was my mother. And so was I.

The more questions I thought to ask, the more I realised I was afraid of his honest answers, so I shook myself free from his arms and backed away like he was some sort of dangerous animal. As I tripped over the edge of his rose garden, he made one last attempt to suck me in.

‘I’m going to Eden, Lainie. I’m sorry, but I can’t wait any longer. I’m going to talk to your mother and try to find out why the river is so sad. Then I’m going to ask her to help me to get rid of those miners once and for all.’

I refused to listen.