The Watchers Wake

Chapter 37 - Mushrooms and Pokeballs

CHAPTER 37 - Mushrooms and Pokeballs

“What don’t you get about being silent!” Adam yelled at me.  “Shut your mouth – not a difficult instruction to follow!” 

“Don’t talk to Natalie like that!” Scott drew himself up and glared at his father.

“You choose my son, you left him vulnerable, you actively killed him and now you are exposing him again!  Hell, why couldn’t have you chosen another Nephilim?  Why my son?  Haven’t I suffered enough under this curse?” 

“You know I didn’t have a choice.  Neither did he.  We are bound to this just as you are.”

“Yeah well it is about time you started taking it seriously.”

“Then stop treating us like Mushrooms!” I growled back at Adam.

“Mushrooms?” Aze had to ask.

“Keeping us in the dark and feeding us...”

“OK I get it!”

“You get what you deserve,” Adam sneered softly.

“Dad, I won’t let you...” Scott stepped up to his father.

“Enough,” Aze said in a low voice, “Bickering won’t help.  Natalie, these are dangerous creatures.  You risked us all by doing what you just did.  You don’t understand what is going on.”

“No you are right.  I have no idea what is going on.  What is going on Aze?”

“What I mean is that you don’t know enough about this to know what to say.  These creatures are unscrupulous and will stop at nothing to win.  If Harold detects your ignorance he will instantly know several things.” He paused and looked at me seriously, “Firstly, he will know that you aren’t an Egregore, secondly he will know that you can be exploited, and thirdly he will be aware that Scott represents more of a danger to them than he did five minutes ago.  This isn’t play time, one wrong word and all is lost.” 

“I just hope that your concern for Jariel can be justified by your supposed relationship with him because there is more at stake here than just Jariel.  There is a bigger picture.  If we can’t stop them now then they will threaten all of humanity with an unlimited supply of Jari’s blood sustaining them.  So listen the next time we tell you to do something.”

I had the distinct impression, from the way Aze spoke to me, that if I pulled a stunt like that again I would be hog-tied on the sofa next to Beatrice. 

As much as I hated to admit it Aze was probably right.  So I ground my teeth and resisted biting back.  Scott squeezed my hand but said nothing.  I looked up to him but he was still glaring at his father who turned away and started to bang pots around in the kitchen.

“One positive,” Aze chirped, “We don’t need to go anywhere.  They can’t come back so easily.  So relax because from now on you are not leaving the house, you’re grounded!” He laughed at his own joke as he picked up Beatrice and started carrying her downstairs.

“What are you doing with her?” I asked quickly remembering Harold’s request.

“When the house was built we had a holding cell put in it.  It was necessary especially given Adam’s limitations.”  Aze didn’t turn to me he just continued downstairs into the garage area and Adam banged the pans louder if that was at all possible.

Scott pulled me back towards his bedroom, “Natalie what were you doing?” 

“I don’t know.  I just don’t feel right about all of this.”