The Prophecy by Melissa Luznicky Garrett Read Free Book Online

on were my own jealous suspicions,
and that wasn’t fair to anyone.
    “How
did Victor used to be?” I said, trying to get my mind off Jasmine.
    Imogene
drew a deep breath and laughed. “You’re just full of all the difficult
questions tonight, aren’t you? Well, Aida and the children were his life, once
upon a time. He always had a smile on his face, and it was because of them.
They were the center of his universe. He almost died when Aida did, but he
pressed on for the kids. At least for a little while. But then something
changed him.”
    “What
was it?”
    I felt
Imogene shake her head again. “I don’t really know.”
    “And
now?”
    “I feel
sorry for him,” Imogene said. “He’s the father of my grandchildren. I know they
say that forgiveness is the key to happiness, but I can’t forgive him for doing
what he did. Victor let his anger and rage consume him, and it nearly got the
two of you killed. And let’s not forget about your grandparents and mother.
There can be no forgiveness for their deaths.”
    No. I
could never forgive him for setting the fire that killed my family. And I would
never be rid of the fear that would continue to plague me as long as he
remained out there. What if he came back one day and tried to kill me again?
    I
cleared my throat. “Do, uh . . . do you think you could show me the house where
my mom grew up?”
    Imogene
wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, and I knew it was a prelude to bad
news. “Oh, honey. I wish I could. But that house was torn down soon after your
family left the reservation.”
    My
heart seized in my chest. “Torn down! But why? I don’t understand.”
    “Victor
insisted. He wanted no visible reminders of your mother or family. The Council
tried to talk him out of it, but he was so distraught. He wouldn’t take no for
an answer.”
    “I
can’t believe it. It’s like they never even existed. It’s like everyone’s completely
forgotten about them.”
    “Not
completely,” Imogene said. She held me tightly against her. “After all, you’re
still here to remind them.”

 
    SIX
    I had
just managed to block out Adrian’s snoring and fall asleep when the clanging of
a portable wind-up clock jarred me awake. Bringing my knees to my chest, I
pulled the scratchy wool blanket over my head, catching a glimpse of the leaden
sky outside.  
    “It’s going
to pour soon,” David said, raising his voice against the howling wind squeezing
through the cracks of the cinderblock building.
    “I hope
we’ll get some of this back home,” Meg said with a yawn. “We’re losing
inventory to the heat, and I don’t entirely trust the Templeton boys to do a
proper job of watering.”
    “Breakfast
is almost ready. Everyone up!”
    At the
sound of Imogene’s voice, I recalled our conversation from the night before. I
pulled the blanket down from around my face and watched as she prodded Adrian
with the end of her wooden spoon, trying unsuccessfully to wake him. With a
sigh and a shrug, she finally gave up.
    “Let
him starve,” she said, winking at me before going back to preparing breakfast.
    I
looked over at Adrian. He lay sprawled on his belly, his long arms dangling
over the sides of the cot and comatose with sleep. Shyla was nowhere to be
seen, but her blanket lay folded in a neat rectangle at the end of her cot.
    I
reached for my bag, having packed it with no idea what to wear to the Council
meeting. I wanted to make a good impression, but I also didn’t want to look
like I was trying too hard—not that my wardrobe would give anyone the
impression that I actually cared about what I wore. Frustrated, I had given up
and shoved a pair of worn jeans and faded tee into the bag, and I pulled those
out now.
    Shyla entered
the room rubbing a towel against her wet head. She saw me watching her and
smirked knowingly. “Get ready to work some magic.”
    I
shoved my feet into my slippers and stood, my clean clothes balled in my hand. “Huh?”
    Shyla bent
at