Rangers of the Rift, Season 1

8

8

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I wake at the sound of wood scraping wood. Then the door cracks open, casting the closet in yellow light. I’ve been conked out against a cobwebbed vacuum cleaner. I wonder how many spiders are in my hair.

“You’re alive.” Tad exhales with a pinched expression as he holds out a hand to help me up.

My throat’s too tight for banter. I hug him.

Over his shoulder, I see the other Ranger, looking even worse for wear.

Reluctantly, I drag myself away from Tad’s embrace and step toward her. “What the hell happened here?”

She licks her lips. “I—There’s no excuse.”

“No s**t,” I say, glaring. “That Waif knew your name! Loved you. Don’t think I didn’t see it. What were you thinking?”

Her eyes glisten, and there’s something crazy in them. My hackles go up.

“You have to understand,” she says haltingly. “I always wanted a son. I just—what I am—what we are—family doesn’t come easy.”

“So, what, you decided to take in a stray? For how long?” If she didn’t look so freaking pathetic right now, I’d punch her in the face. Heck, I still might.

“I found him ten years ago,” she says quietly. “Ten years before that, he and his family had been murdered in the forest. His parents’ spirits abandoned him to the Limen, but he—he had a sister and didn’t know where she was. His spirit was already fading when I found him. He couldn’t remember much of this life. There are so many old houses here. He couldn’t remember...”

Tad frowns. “He remembered well enough to bring us here.”

I grimace. “I should’ve thought of that. That’s what happens to Waifs. They lose everything that made them human until finally, once they turn, their memories come flooding back. Thank God for that cruel twist,” I add, scowling at the unfairness.

“There’s a short window when the memories return before they become Vagari,” nods Jewel. “But once the change is complete, those memories—and the people and places their broken souls now remember—become targets. They want revenge for their own deaths. They hunger for the lives they had.” Her face falls. “I was too late with Andrew. All this time, all I knew was that his family had gone out. They’d left Emily with the caretaker.”

I gasp and smack my head. “Oh! She said she couldn’t leave. When I told her to take her turn at flipping the coin, she said she couldn’t go, she—”

“Needed permission,” finishes the Ranger.

I groan. “Her parents must’ve left her here with explicit instructions not to leave until they told her it was okay. She just needed to be told she could go. I could’ve saved her.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Ranger.”

“No, it was yours,” says Tad angrily. “Why’d you let it get this bad? We all nearly died. The concierge...” He gulps. “How’re we going to explain that?”

The woman bites her lip. “That’s my job. And you’re right. It is my fault. I was selfish. I thought I could keep him, as a son, just until I found his sister, until they both started to change and then let them go. I was getting close, narrowing down all the old buildings. But I got called away.”

“Travelling,” I supply.

“There was a large warehouse fire in Elkin,” she affirms. “Forty-three died. I felt your call, Ranger, but I couldn’t leave until they were all beyond. You understand. I—I’m sorry. For everything.”

Tad rubs the back of his head, looking stormy. I put a hand on his arm. For all intents and purposes, Jewel just vanquished a boy from the Limen whom she loved like a son. Part of me still wants to put my fist through her face, but another part of me...doesn’t understand exactly, but wants to give her another chance.

“I let Andrew learn my name,” I offer, “when he was still a Waif. And I knocked out the concierge instead of telling him to run. I was afraid he’d call the cops. That man’s soul is on me.”

“No.” Her head shakes, but there’s no conviction in it.

I got fooled by a Vagari in a training exercise, let it lure me into believing it was still a Waif. My compassion nearly got us all killed.

“Look, we all make mistakes.” I frown, suddenly. “But you may want to check out your tomb. I think you might’ve done some long-term damage with this Waif-adoption stuff.”

I extend my hand, and she shakes it with a slow nod.

“You’re pretty good,” she tells me, then looks at Tad but doesn’t say anything. Something passes between them while I check my watch. Time to go. I’ve got a race to win.