Rebekah apprehensively jumps in the front seat, looks out the window and tears turn her
eyes into diamonds. She knows Jill and Rachel wouldn't want her to stay trapped indoor because of her fear of the great, big unknown. Rebekah whispers, "I love you guys and I miss you both so much. Look at me... I'm trying... ...trying to live." Sean tosses duffle bags into the catering van and closes the sliding door. He hops into the front seat next to Rebekah and squeezes her hand tightly.
She loves that he gets her. She doesn't have to explain anything; he knows when to speak and when to just be present. No words. No judgment. He looks into Bek's eyes and puts his forehead on hers. "God I pray you would direct our steps. We are clueless. We are fearful at times and need your perfect love to drive out fear. Please be with us..." He shuts the front door, raises his eyebrows and smiles.
The randomness and uncertainty is bearable because they are together. Isabella braces her arm against the back of the driver's seat and listens intently to every word Abigail is saying. Wilton turns to see her face because he doesn't know how to take everything. He wonders what is true and what is a lie, but from the sobering look on Mercy's face, he knows they have opened Pandora's Box."I know there is no reason for you to trust us, let alone believe
us, but listen to me very carefully. My brother Pierre gave Antonio a strong sedative, but he should be waking soon."
"Why would he sedate him? What does any of this have to do with Antonio?" Abigail pauses and looks at Audrey with fear. "Your brother doesn't remember what I am about to tell you because he has been through a lot, and I don't mean the accident or the fire! He is centuries old and has the ability to shift, move things with his mind. He can become anything he has ever seen!" "What, my big brother? What are y'all trying to pull?" "I know this sounds crazy but let me finish."
Isabella grabs his hand and he feels her shaking as if an earthquake was in her. "He is powerful and dangerous... He is unaware of who he is." "That's because he was in a coma Abigail!" "No Wilton, he can stop fires and create them! He can breathe fire and water can surge from his hands!" "What?" Mercy grabs Wilton's arm to stop him from interrupting them
because she is more afraid of sitting in the car with Antonio over the ancient family!
"Our brother Pierre recognized Antonio right away which is not good! He has always been destructive, but he was a thousand times worse when Antonio was his ally! We have always done what Pierre said and it only brought us trouble! We have been looking for a way of escape for centuries, but he would find out and it was devasting for us. We know what he is capable of! We've been afraid to cross him, but Audrey and I came up with a plan, and actually got away, for now! Please listen to what we have to say Wilton, because we do not want anyone else to be hurt again; we can no longer be a part of his plan!"
"What do you want me to say? How can you expect me to believe this isn't a trap?" "We are
coming to you with nothing, hoping you will be our ally! Why would we risk crossing Pierre and warning you about Antonio?! We need you to talk to him before Pierre finds him! You must tell him that Pierre set the fire at the school and then..." Abigail hesitates because she knows exposing Pierre's secret could backfire.
"...Tell him that the witches in Ireland thought he burned down their homes and families! They put a curse on him, but Pierre never knew there was one little catch. They said that if he did this heinous deed he will drown in the depths of the sea, but if he did not harm innocent blood, he will come back stronger than a vehement flood. The witches said the only way he can live is to vindicate their families, so we assumed he was dead, but it meant worse; he would not remember his power or any of his past." "Well, if all of this is
true, what good is it to involve him now, if he doesn't remember
anyway?"
"Centuries ago, Audrey overheard the warlocks say that if any of the ancient family touch the center of his forehead between his brows and call his name, he will wake from his wake! Pierre wants to get to him first to lie, trick, and manipulate Antonio!" "I don't understand ..." "Your brother's real name is Ramah!"
Isabella and Wilton get chills because no one should know that about Antonio, no one! "Wait, but my mother gave birth to him! How can this be?!" "The warlocks vowed that if he is innocent, he will come back as a seed, and a woman will accidentally drink this seed centuries later. Don't you ever wonder why you look different than your brother? Don't you recall being little and your father punching walls because Antonio looks nothing like him..."
Wilton is silent but whirring memories blare like sirens and everything seems to make sense; ironically, every detail about his past become extremely clear via this outlandish, far-fetched truth revealed! Wilton weeps uncontrollably and Isabella kisses his tears. Abigail doesn't want to interrupt, but she says, "Wilton, I am sorry but there is one more thing... We have Annabelle! Why would we put ourselves in so much danger with Pierre if we weren't telling the truth?"
Audrey snatches the phone. "Oh and we never told Pierre you are married to Isabella! We knew but didn't say a word! He wants to rip her limb from limb and destroy everything in her life because she took that journal from us!" Isabella gasps and Audrey hears her, "Isabella, I hated you for so long because our brother did everything to hurt us. He killed our families that we started and the new lives we tried to create because of that book!" Mercy didn't realize the repercussions of her actions and knew an apology would be inappropriate and meaningless after what she just heard.
"I am only working with you Isabella because I want to go back to the labyrinth. Pierre messed it up for us long ago, so I consider your debt his debt because he is responsible! Don't worry I won't hurt you but don't expect me to be cordial with you, understood?" Abigail takes
the phone back and hopes Audrey didn't ruin everything with her harsh tongue. Isabella weeps and says, "I have no words that can fix what I have damaged, but know my alliance with you will be the way I try to repay what I've destroyed."
Abigail tells Wilton that they are heading to Lexington Lane with Annabelle. Wilton agrees but panics because he wonders what Sean will say! Antonio stirs! Wilton always feared, respected his older brother, but this time he is horrified...
TO BE CONTINUED!!!