was good to hear your voice this morning, but I didn’t think you were going to follow it up with a visit!” David’s eyes twinkled as he ushered them to one of the couch-and-table clusters. A young man, about eighteen or nineteen, scuttled out of the way, taking a book with him. He gestured for Tyler to take his seat before vanishing into another room. “But don’t take that as a hint. We would love to see more of you. You’re an isolated crew.”
“We try to stay focused,” Mary said. “But maybe you’re right. It’s good to see you too, David.”
She sat. Tyler noticed that she held herself erect, proud like a queen. She had been so worried and harried ever since he’d first met her that he hadn’t noticed how attractive she was, or how much dignity there was in the small one’s carriage. Something about her reminded him of Diane, and yet she was not like her at all. This was a woman who ran from nothing, who knew and had fully embraced her identity and purpose.
Another woman, who might have been David’s wife—were any of these people married?—emerged carrying a mug of coffee in each hand; the eighteen-year-old whose seat Tyler had taken followed her with two more. They were handed to the guests, and the woman disappeared and quickly reappeared with another for David. Both vanished again, and Tyler noticed the other inhabitants of the room had likewise exited. He wondered why.
“Now then,” David said. “I don’t think you’re here because the phone call made you miss the past. Can I help you with something?”
“I hope so,” Mary said. Richard leaned forward slightly, as though he was expecting something to happen. Mary met David’s eyes.
“I want you to tell me how to find the hive.”
Chapter 9
“Mary …” David drew the word out slowly. She watched him, searching his face, his body language, for any clue to his thoughts. They were Oneness, and they had a long history together, and yet she had never entirely learned to read him.
He sighed. “The hive is in our territory.”
“We are Oneness,” Mary said. “What is yours is also ours. I can’t say I know why, but the plan seems to have led us here, David.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “I am not trying to stop you. But the hive’s power is not something to face unprepared. We’ve lost people. I told you.”
“I have faced terrible things before,” Mary said quietly. She kept her eyes fixed on his face, though he flicked his glance away. Some of those memories were shared. David had been there. The bombing, the fire. The hounding. Witchcraft unleashing violence and madness. The enemy was no trifling opposition. Demons were just the beginning. What they could do in conjunction with humans was far, far worse.
The last two decades in the fishing village had been a welcome respite. Warm, quiet, a balance of sadness and victory. Nothing like the early days.
Not until April disappeared.
For a moment Mary let her eyes lower. She closed them and breathed a prayer for April. She was still convinced that her friend was not dead—and yet, in some strange way, the connection between them felt weaker than it ever had before. The sense of weakening was so clear as she reached out in spirit that she trembled inside.
April. April was why they were here.
“One of ours has gone missing,” Mary said, raising her eyes again. “We’ve tried everything to find her. Things have been dark … she’s been impossible to track. But I think the pieces are coming together now. I think the hive may be responsible for her disappearance.”
“That does not necessarily mean you should go in,” David pointed out. “Even if they did take her, it’s unlikely they’re keeping her here. Are you sure she isn’t …”
“She isn’t dead,” Mary hastily answered. “Yet. Please, David, tell us what you know. We’re not asking you to send anyone in with us. We only want to find out what we can learn.”
David leaned back, resting
“We try to stay focused,” Mary said. “But maybe you’re right. It’s good to see you too, David.”
She sat. Tyler noticed that she held herself erect, proud like a queen. She had been so worried and harried ever since he’d first met her that he hadn’t noticed how attractive she was, or how much dignity there was in the small one’s carriage. Something about her reminded him of Diane, and yet she was not like her at all. This was a woman who ran from nothing, who knew and had fully embraced her identity and purpose.
Another woman, who might have been David’s wife—were any of these people married?—emerged carrying a mug of coffee in each hand; the eighteen-year-old whose seat Tyler had taken followed her with two more. They were handed to the guests, and the woman disappeared and quickly reappeared with another for David. Both vanished again, and Tyler noticed the other inhabitants of the room had likewise exited. He wondered why.
“Now then,” David said. “I don’t think you’re here because the phone call made you miss the past. Can I help you with something?”
“I hope so,” Mary said. Richard leaned forward slightly, as though he was expecting something to happen. Mary met David’s eyes.
“I want you to tell me how to find the hive.”
Chapter 9
“Mary …” David drew the word out slowly. She watched him, searching his face, his body language, for any clue to his thoughts. They were Oneness, and they had a long history together, and yet she had never entirely learned to read him.
He sighed. “The hive is in our territory.”
“We are Oneness,” Mary said. “What is yours is also ours. I can’t say I know why, but the plan seems to have led us here, David.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “I am not trying to stop you. But the hive’s power is not something to face unprepared. We’ve lost people. I told you.”
“I have faced terrible things before,” Mary said quietly. She kept her eyes fixed on his face, though he flicked his glance away. Some of those memories were shared. David had been there. The bombing, the fire. The hounding. Witchcraft unleashing violence and madness. The enemy was no trifling opposition. Demons were just the beginning. What they could do in conjunction with humans was far, far worse.
The last two decades in the fishing village had been a welcome respite. Warm, quiet, a balance of sadness and victory. Nothing like the early days.
Not until April disappeared.
For a moment Mary let her eyes lower. She closed them and breathed a prayer for April. She was still convinced that her friend was not dead—and yet, in some strange way, the connection between them felt weaker than it ever had before. The sense of weakening was so clear as she reached out in spirit that she trembled inside.
April. April was why they were here.
“One of ours has gone missing,” Mary said, raising her eyes again. “We’ve tried everything to find her. Things have been dark … she’s been impossible to track. But I think the pieces are coming together now. I think the hive may be responsible for her disappearance.”
“That does not necessarily mean you should go in,” David pointed out. “Even if they did take her, it’s unlikely they’re keeping her here. Are you sure she isn’t …”
“She isn’t dead,” Mary hastily answered. “Yet. Please, David, tell us what you know. We’re not asking you to send anyone in with us. We only want to find out what we can learn.”
David leaned back, resting
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