Terra has two jobs at the castle. She teaches history and treats the sick or injured. No one knows more about the past or how to cure what ails an apprentice than her. During the last week this tall, freckle-faced woman has injected me with medicines the rest of the country would kill to make me better.

I feel fine. I no longer feel nauseous, and my nose stopped bleeding black goo days ago, but still, Terra has me on bed rest, and on a drip. The contents of the drip is a mystery to me, but what I do know is that when it's dark the colour changes from light blue to gold then back again.

I'm bored out of mind. The only thing keeping me in this bed, and from ripping this drip out of my arm is that I'm finally going to see Jessie today. I know that if I am uncooperative, then the Elders would send Jessie to Lo without me even catching a glimpse of her.

The door opens, and no matter how times I hear the squeak of the hinges I can't use to the sound.

"How is she doing today?" Elder Wyatt asks Terra who is cleaning an apple by wiping it on her shirt.

"A couple more days her cells will be fully stabilized. Next time you want to do one of your little tests don't use one of Jacob's abominations. He kept very little research on his screws up and I might not be able to save her next time," Terra replies, she's frowning and looking really ticked off.

I want to tell her that Avery wasn't an abomination that he was a human being but I know that it would make no difference because that's how she and the Elders saw him. It's how I first saw him.

"What Raven was able to do was completely unforeseen to us as was the effect that Avery's life force would have on her," Elder Wyatt explains, he looks a little bit affronted at Terra's lecturing tone. "But I will personally make sure that this incident isn't repeated".

I can see by the way Terra's shoulders slump a little and the huge bite she takes out of her apple that the discussion is over, but she still isn't pleased. I'm not particularly happy about being talked about as I'm not in the room, but it is something I'm getting used to.

Elder Wyatt's attention is focused solely on me for the first time since he came into the room. I can't tell if he's angry, sad, worried, or happy his emotions are completely unreadable.

"Jessie is outside. Now before I let her in she believes you are suffering from a bout of Flavens' flu. We thought the truth would lead to unnecessary worry," Elder Wyatt tells me. I can hear it in his voice the not so subtle order to back that lie up if she asks about it.

"I would never want to cause her any worry," I reply to show him that I understand and will keep up the lie. "Can Jessie come in now?" 

I watch Terra go open the door and leave the room. A minute or two passes before the door opens again. There she is the woman who loved and raised but in only a few weeks she seems to look older and less vibrant.

"Never had a day's illness in her life, comes here and my baby gets sick," Jessie mutters as she moves closer to my bed. She's glaring at Elder Wyatt as if she holds him personally responsible. I try to get out of bed to go over and hug her, but one look from Elder Wyatt nips that in the bud. 

Jessie gives me a gentle hug when she reaches then takes a seat in the rickety wooden chair beside my bed.

"I would like some time alone with Raven," Jessie tells Elder Wyatt.  Not ask, but tell, and it makes me love her even more.

"You are a Non and Raven's power is unpredictable, I will be supervising this visit for your own safety".

"I raised this girl for thirteen years I know what she's capable off, and I know she would never hurt me," Jessie says, stroking my hair.  "I also know a lot about you Wyatt Crowfield, and while you can bully and manipulate the rest of the world, I see straight through you!".

The words Wyatt Crowfield rings through my head as Jessie and Elder Wyatt try to outstare the other; neither one willing to back down. He and Jacob were related?

The slamming of the door lets me know that Elder Wyatt has lost the battle of wills with Jessie. She may be a Non but Jessie wasn't the type to let anyone push her around.

"So, why are you really here?" Jessie asks, folding her arms across her chest. "Please don't say Flavens flu, I saw straight through that cock and bull story the moment I spotted his fingernails!".

"What do Elder Wyatt's fingernails have to do with anything?".

"My granny said never trust a white guy with clean fingernails.  Now, what's really wrong with you?".

"I took life force from this man called Avery. Jacob did something to him and his life force made me sick, but I'm much better now". There was no point in lying to Jessie, she can always tell when I'm lying. I know Elder Wyatt won't be happy with me for telling her the truth.

"Baby girl, we don't have a lot of time together so you're going to have to trust me when I say I can't fully explain," Jessie tells me her voice barely above a whisper.  "Don't trust the Elders especially Wyatt and most of all don't trust Gemini!".

Before I can open my mouth to ask why I shouldn't trust the Elders or about Gemini the door bursts open. Elder Wyatt is standing there with his face thunderous, but Jessie doesn't seem to care that he looks like he wants to rip her apart as easily as he did the gold leaves.

"I think it's time for me to go, Raven but before I go your mother came by a few days ago and wanted me to give you this," Jessie says, pulling out a necklace from her pocket before standing up and facing Elder Wyatt. "Elizabeth also wanted me to tell you, she will be seeing you real soon Wyatt".

Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed this chapter then please comment or vote.

What do you think of Jessie?

Yes, Jacob and Wyatt are related but how? And who or what is Gemini?

Hint: Gemini was important enough for Jacob to name his drug after.

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