Forgotten Read online

  “I’d appreciate that,” Rone said sincerely. “But before you start making any calls, I need to speak to you about a private matter.”

  “Of course.” Sylvan raised an eyebrow. “What is it? Does it have to do with the message you gave me from Two?” Rone had already filled the Kindred Commander in privately about everything the Dark Kindred had said to him and Kate when he’d trapped them in the glade on the night of the full moons’ convergence.

  “I don’t know,” Rone answered. “Last night, after Kate and I finally got to bed she had a Knowing dream.”

  Sylvan frowned. “I think I remember you talking about this before—it’s when her sixth sense intervenes and gives her some knowledge she couldn’t know any other way, correct? A prophesy of sorts?”

  “In a way.” Rone shifted uneasily. “Part of it seemed prophetic but there was also a message for you.”

  “For me?”

  “Yes.” Rone sighed. “Let me just tell you what Kate saw. Actually, I saw it too—through our link.”

  “Really?” Sylvan asked. “I didn’t think that was possible.”

  “It wasn’t, before,” Rone explained. “We have a much deeper bond now, ever since Kate tamed my Beast. Anyway…” He ran a hand through his hair. “Kate saw the Mother Ship—specifically the park around the Sacred Grove.”

  “I know the area you mean.” Sylvan nodded. “Go on.”

  “All right. Well, everyone aboard the Mother Ship was gathered there—a huge throng of people. All the warriors and their brides and children.”

  “That would be rather crowded but I think it could be managed,” Sylvan said, nodding.

  “I don’t think that the dream was meant to say everyone should gather together,” Rone said. “I think it was more supposed to symbolize everyone on the ship…and something that might happen to them.”

  “Like what?” Sylvan asked warily.

  “Well…” Rone shifted uneasily. “In the dream, a huge hand came out of nowhere and reached for the sun.”

  “You mean the green, artificial sun which hangs over the Sacred Grove?” Sylvan asked, frowning. “The Mother Ship’s power source?”

  Rone nodded. “The huge hand grabbed it and squeezed it until it went out. And the whole time you could hear him laughing…”

  “Him?” Sylvan frowned. “Him who?”

  “This is the strange part…Kate said she thought it might be the AllFather. You know, the Scourge overlord?”

  “I’m not likely to forget him,” Sylvan said dryly. “But he’s dead.”

  “I know—which is why this doesn’t make any sense.” Rone shook his head. “But Kate’s Knowing dreams are never wrong.”

  “Hmm.” Sylvan frowned. “Is the dream saying the AllFather will return and cut off the Mother Ship’s power supply? I don’t see how that could happen. Aside from the fact that he’s dead, we’ve also destroyed the Father Ship of the Scourge. After we found out that Two, the Dark Kindred, had used the molecular transfer beam to steal Kate away from you, the decision was made that it had too many dangerous tools lying around to just leave it derelict. We did of course get the blessing of Xairn—who is the last living Scourge. He’s actually mated to Sophie’s kin, Lauren.”

  “Speaking of that, what about Two?” Rone asked. “Do you still want me to track him?”

  Sylvan shook his head. “Not now that your mate is thrice expectant. I will find someone else to do that particular job. Two has already attempted to harm you personally—I don’t want any more of his malice directed against you or your family.”

  “That’s kind of you,” Rone said. “But even though his actions worked out for good in the end, he meant them to cause malice. When you do track him down, I have a matter to settle with him.”

  “Several of us do,” Sylvan said grimly. “But back to Kate’s dream—what else did she see?”

  “Oh, yes.” Rone cleared his throat. “After the vision of the AllFather snuffing out the light of the Mother Ship, she heard a voice speaking in the darkness. A female voice—maybe even the Goddess.”

  “Go on,” Sylvan said gravely. “What did she say?”

  Rone closed his eyes, concentrating to get all the words exactly right, just as he had heard them through their link as Kate dreamed the night before.

  “An old threat made new

  In the silent dark grew

  Can only be solved

  By one who jumps True

  She into he and he into she

  Unless they are one

  Apart they’ll not be

  Exchange of the souls

  A switch of the roles

  But jumping between

  Will take a harsh toll.”

  Rone shook his head. “I know that doesn’t make much sense either…”

  “No, it doesn’t.” Sylvan frowned. “One who jumps true?”

  “Does it mean anything to you?” Rone asked.

  “No…wait! She into he and he into she…” Sylvan snapped his fingers. “Remember we were talking earlier about Trader or Switch Kindred? Well, they’re also called Jumpers. But a True Jumper…well, I don’t think there has been a reported case of one of those in over a century.”

  “What is a True Jumper?” Rone asked.

  “A Switch Kindred who is able to not just inhabit his mate’s body but to jump into anyone else’s.” Sylvan shook his head. “But as I said, the Switch Kindred interbred with a race of people who considered Switching or Jumping as it’s sometimes called, a shameful ability. They found a way to inhibit and eventually get rid of it all together.”

  Rone sighed. “So then, none of the dream makes sense. It warns about a threat that’s already been neutralized and offers a solution that isn’t possible because it doesn’t exist.”

  “I would never discount a message from the Goddess,” Sylvan said gently. “But…do you think it’s possible that Kate just had a nightmare?”

  “No.” Rone shook his head. “No, absolutely not. I saw the dream, remember? I’m certain of its veracity.”

  “All right then.” Sylvan sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You also said there was a special warning for me? What was it?”

  “That came at the end of the dream, when Kate was waking up, so I didn’t get to see it as she did,” Rone admitted. “I woke up right before her and I was holding her—she gets so cold during a Knowing dream—it scares the crap out of me, as she would say.”

  “It does sound like a frightening event,” Sylvan acknowledged.

  “So, as I was holding her in my arms, she kept murmuring, ‘Tell Sylvan he’s not safe…tell him to beware his twin. His twin is evil… his twin is danger.”

  Sylvan shook his head. “But…I don’t have a twin. I do have several brothers, all of whom live aboard the Mother Ship, but none of them is my twin or indeed, even my full brother.”

  “I don’t know.” Rone lifted his hands helplessly. “I don’t know what any of it means. But Kate and I felt like you ought to know. Do with it what you want.”

  “I’ll have to consider it,” Sylvan said. “And bring it before the Council. In the meantime, we’ll be extra vigilant about security and continue the hunt for Two.”

  “After the way he lured Kate out to meet my Beast and trapped us in that clearing, I’d say he’s a legitimate danger,” Rone said seriously. “I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt—especially not you.” He cleared his throat. “Kate and I decided it would be best to tell you privately about the last part of the dream—the part concerning you. We didn’t want to worry your mate.”

  “Thank you for that,” Sylvan said gravely. “Sophia has enough to worry about already with our twins. I’ll keep this to myself.”

  “I thought as much.” Rone nodded. “Well…I guess there’s nothing else to do but remain vigilant. And whoever you get to track Two, please let them know I’ll do everything I can to help.”

  “I will. Thank you.” Sylvan sighed and rose, fingering the bandage on his hurt thum