Total Eclipse

Ve

Talk about one pill makes you larger . . . , Lewis said, which even now, at the end of the world, made me smile.

Ve

David and I were face to face, but evidently Ve

All right? David asked me. My hair was blowing in the wind created by our passage, and I pulled it out of my face to nod. He looked grim and focused, probably anticipating the conversation we were about to have with our child. Almost there.

Almost being, of course, not quite good enough. Id noticed the height of the cliffs before wed taken to the air, and we should have already been to the top. They werent that tall. But now the cliffs seemed to be stretching themselves taller, and taller, and taller, and we kept rising on and on, racing to get to a point that continued to outpace us.

Imara! I yelled. Imara, stop! Let us in, please!

For a long few seconds, it seemed that shed keep playing this game until the Dji

The cliffs stopped rising, and in a matter of seconds we were on the rocks. I tried not to look back at where wed been. We were far, far too high for comfort.

There were no trails on this side of the chapel, so we had to scramble over ancient ledges and boulders to get to the peak, which rose up in a defiant jut of glass and a simple, elegant cross that buried itself into the rocks.

There was a kind of a path on the downslope that intersected with the stairs, and I led the way down it to the concrete steps.

This was how Id always come here, up these steps.

This was where Id seen my daughter die, and the memory still burned, both here and on the aetheric. My heart pounded harder as we ascended, heading for the entrance to the chapel at the top.

Ve

I cast an uncertain look at David, who was holding my hand. He nodded. Shes right, he said. We have to go alone.

As we climbed the steps, Lewis said, There was something you were going to tell me, back at the Luxor. Something about Jonathan.

Its about how he died, David said. I told you he died in battle, and thats true. What I didnt tell you is that we were losing. Our forces were being slaughtered; the plains were heaped with our dead and dying. Jonathan and his guardsI was onewere the only ones left.

We reached the top landing. The u

Jonathan reached out to the Mother, David said. In fury, and rage, and desperation. He woke her up. Thats why so many more died. He wanted to destroy everything, including himself. But instead, she . . . took him. Made him Dji

Lewis was very still, listening to this, and I wished I understood what he was thinking. He was usually much easier to read, but now . . . now I didnt know. My skin was cold, and even though the air was still, I felt phantom winds blowing in this place. The aetheric was unsettled, on the verge of explosion.

Before we go in, said Lewis, I want to say something to both of you.

David cast a quick glance at me, frowning. What is it?

Lewis smiled. I wanted to tell you that the best man won, he said. I would have loved her, but you adore her. You make her better. You protect her, and honor her, and that makes me glad, David. Jealous as hell, but glad.

David said nothing. I didnt think he really knew what to say to that.

Lewis shifted his attention to me. You were the only woman who ever really touched me, he said. But I wouldnt have been good for you. And now we can leave all that behind.

It was good-bye, and it was final, and I felt the changes in him, in me, even in David.

David silently offered his hand. Lewis took it and shook. I stepped forward, and he kissed my cheek. With his lips close to my ear, he whispered, Youre pregnant, Jo. Tell me that doesnt make you happy.

I gasped and pulled back, staring into his face, suddenly overcome with shock. I would know, I said, and stopped, because I did know. I did. I felt it now, that tiny seed of life, still just a cluster of undifferentiated cells. Davids baby, conceived on the ship. Our baby.

I looked at David, and I saw the knowledge in his face, too. The wonder. And a little bit of fear. I reached for his hand, and he almost broke mine with the force and fierceness of his grip.

I felt shaky and on the verge of tears, and I didnt even know why, really, except that there was a sense to all of this of endings. Maybe endings without new begi

Are we done? I finally said, and forced a cocky smile. Because theres world-saving to be done.

Right, Lewis said. There always is, isnt there? That part never changes. Hey, if its a boy, name him after me, will you?

You dont have to do this, I said. I could try

No. There comes a time when you have to realize that you cant save the world alone, Jo. You have to let someone else take a shot. And its my turn.

I took a deep breath, forced a smile, took one last look at the blackened sun in the red sky, and opened the door of the chapel. We got on with it.

Chapter Twelve

Imara was standing at the front of the chapel, silhouetted by the giant sweep of windows that displayed the eclipsed sun, the red sky, the dramatic drop of the canyons. It was the kind of view that would make anyone religious, Id always thought, but right now, all I could see was my daughter, standing motionless in front of all that glory, with sand whipping around her like a tornado. Her black hair was lifting on an invisible wind, and her eyes were just as dark, lid to lid, like a night sky flecked with exploding stars. She was . . . terrifying.

And angry.

Imara, David said, and walked down the aisle toward her. Im sorry, but we had to come. You know this place wont last much longer. Youll fall, and when you do, youll destroy. We can stop it, if youll help us.

She laughed. It was a wretched, despairing sound, and it lashed at our faces like slaps. I winced and wanted to turn away; I hated seeing her like this, so alien and far from the child Id known. All grown up, some part of my brain contributed helpfully. Parents never do understand their children.

Youre fools, she said. I tried to stop you. I tried to tell you, its useless. I dont want to see you hurt, dont you understand? I cant protect you!

Were not asking you to, sweetheart, I said. Please. I know you can hear her. Open yourself up, and let us talk through you. Im begging you, for the sake of the half of you that was once like me. Please.

Mom, it wont help, dont you get it? You think she doesnt know about humanity? About what it is, what its done? This is the reckoning. We all told you it would come. Imara was crying, black tears like oil that marred her perfect, pale face. If I open the co