Carpathian 23 - Dark Storm

on her mother, how could she just dismiss what her mother was telling her?
    “Keep going.” Riley wanted to put her hands over her ears. Her heart beat too fast—in
     time to the heartbeat of the earth. She felt the shiver beneath her feet, as if the
     ground itself was listening and trying to warn her, whatever that evil was, that it
     was about to escape.
    “There was one man who had come with your ancestor from a strange land. He fought
     battle after battle but could not defeat this evil. In the end, Arabejila lured the
     evil into the volcano with the warrior, a tremendous sacrifice. She locked them there,
     but every so many years, to keep the volcano from erupting, which would allow him
     freedom . . .”
    “No one could live in a volcano for hundreds of years, Mom, and still be alive.” Riley
     made it a firm statement. It was the truth . . . wasn’t it? The fear she tasted in
     her mouth said something altogether different.
    “I know they’re locked in there, at least that evil creature is still there. I’ve felt him, and right now, every single person here is feeling him. I’m late, and if he
     escapes, everyone he kills—and he will kill over and over—will be on me.”
    Riley scowled at her mother. “That’s ridiculous. You had no choice but to stay with
     Dad. We’ve been delayed here over and over . . .” She trailed off. If that evil entity
     was in some way influencing those traveling with them, was it so far off to think
     that he could be delaying them? “How could this thing still be alive after all this
     time? You’re talking five hundred years more or less.”
    “He is. I feel him. You feel him. Evil lives and walks this earth, Riley, and it’s
     your job—and mine—to help stop it. That’s the legacy we were given and we have no
     choice. If the thing gets out into the world and kills, we’ve failed.”
    “What do we do when we get up the mountain, Mom?” Riley made up her mind. No matter
     what, Annabel was determined to go up that mountain and perform the ritual taught
     to her by her mother before her. There would be no stopping her, no matter how worn
     she looked, so Riley was getting her up that mountain and getting the job done as
     quickly as possible. Her mother wasn’t living in a fantasy. She meant every word she
     said. Riley heard the ring of truth in her voice.
    “You know what needs to be done,” Annabel said. “I’ve taught you since you were a
     child. If we succeed, you have to come to this mountain when you’re pregnant and have
     your daughter here. She must be a part of the earth. The gifts are strong in you,
     much stronger than they ever have been in me, or even my mother. I could feel the
     earth accept you as her child the moment I put you down into the cradle crevice.”
     She wiped sweat from her face. “The sun will be down soon. That’s the most dangerous
     time, Riley. He’s quiet during the day, but at night, he can take command. Never underestimate
     him. From what I was told, he can appear beautiful and charming but he’s wholly evil.
     If something happens to me . . .”
    “Mom,” Riley protested. “Don’t say that. Don’t think it. I won’t let anything happen
     to you. I won’t.”
    Annabel held up her hand. “We can’t pretend. There’s every possibility. And then he’ll
     go after you. We’re a threat to him and he will do everything in his power to eliminate
     us.”
    Riley scrubbed her hand over her face, as if that could remove the clawing fear. The
     energy running beneath her feet thrummed of urgency. She had become so aware of the
     surrounding rain forest, of the vegetation she walked on, and now, the dirt itself,
     reaching out to her with veins of information, silently screaming to hurry—hurry.
    Riley forced herself to nod. Her mother needed reassurance that she could handle whatever
     was thrown at them. “I think the two researchers, Gary and Jubal, know about the stories.
     I asked them what was happening last night and both used the word evil , as if it was spreading across the land and influencing all of us. They’ve been keeping
     a watch over us and I don’t think I could have saved you last night without them.
     Ben Charger has been sticking close as well, helping to guard us. He seems to realize
     something beyond the normal is influencing everyone as well, but I haven’t discussed
     anything with him.”
    Annabel shook her head. “You can’t really trust anyone, Riley.