21

Rae

Fire seethed through Rae’s body, his mind, his blood.

Rafa had spoken to one of them. He had implied he and Rae were friends. He had promised to help them. Rafa had no intention of helping them do anything, least of all leave the jungle.

Rae stormed through the trees, not caring when the branches snagged his clothes or skin.

Rafa needed to answer for what he had done. He did not have permission to speak to the outsiders, and now he was going to explain himself.

The air grew thicker. Heavier. More damp. The foliage curved around Rae’s body like a blanket, bending and moving with his every step. What little sunlight filtered through the trees dimmed. Rae stopped and watched as a night flower bloomed before his eyes. It was midday, at latest, and these flowers only bloomed in the dark. “Rafa,” he called.

Silence answered.

“Rafa!” His nostrils flared, and he barely contained his anger. “I know you are here.”

Rafa stepped from the burrow in a huge tree trunk. He smirked at Rae, his face full of ego and amusement. His dark hair stood on end, and his clothes were a crumpled and dirty mess. “What could you possibly want with me? Unless you’re willing to accept my offer, that is.”

“You spoke to one of them. That is against the commandments.”

“You spoke to them, too, don’t forget. More than once, and more than one of them. You are a watcher, so you have commandments to follow. I broke no supposed law.”

Rae worked to control his breathing. He had not allowed himself to consider the facts Rafa presented, but the fallen angel’s words rang true.

“I was trying to help them,” Rae spit out. “And you are not.”

The air fluctuated and Rafa stood directly in front of Rae in the blink of an eye. “I can help you, though. Would you like to be human? Live like the humans? Have the freedom they have?”

Every muscle in Rae’s body coiled like a snake ready to strike. Rafa’s offers were ridiculous.

“I see your mind working behind those eyes.” Rafa circled Rae. “You follow the elders’ rules so easily. ‘Don’t speak to them,’” he mimicked. “‘Don’t help them. Don’t intervene. They will find their way out.’”

“And they would,” Rae interrupted. “If you would leave them alone.”

Rafa stopped and grinned. “Perhaps you are right about that. But I have other events in mind.”

Rae knew all of that. It was exactly what Rafa had said when he’d tried to get Rae to join his cause the first time around.

Rae could help him, Rafa had said. Rae could have whatever he wanted in return, he had promised.

Rae clenched his fists. “I will never help you.”

“Then you will have to work hard against me,” Rafa said. “Because I won’t stop trying. And I’m through playing nicely.”

Rafa slinked back to the hole he crawled from and Rae worked to calm his nerves. He did not succeed. Instead, he shot through the trees at the speed of the jungle cats. His feet barely touched the ground.

The elders had to be notified. Someone had to do something to stop Rafa. His goals were wholly unacceptable, and Rae would do all he could to put a stop to it. When he had reached the entry to the inner jungle—his home—he paused. Closing his eyes, he sniffed the air. He stood perfectly still and let the air vibrations bounce off his skin.

Finally, he let out a relieved breath. For today, at least, Rafa had not won. Their home was undisturbed.

“You have done foolishly.”

The voice of the highest watcher spun Rae around. “Jacob. You scared me.”

Jacob stood patiently, so Rae went on.

“I have come to warn you. Rafa is working to keep the outsiders stranded. He hopes to bring them here, to the inner jungle. I felt I had to intervene in order to help them find a way out.”

“They don’t need your help to leave.” Jacob towered over him. He was almost big enough to frighten Rae, but Rae had seen enough of Jacob to know he was not to be feared. They had been working together for years.

“You forget your place,” Jacob said. “Your job is to keep them out. Whatever else they do is not your concern.” He stepped closer to Rae, almost nose to nose. “That includes whether or not they find food or water. Stop intervening.”

Guilt seeped through every pore of his body. Jacob knew everything Rae had done—the times he had shown them how to find food, water, paths back to their camp. But Rae felt the love of the Father in them. He pitied them—loved them, even.

He bowed his head. “Forgive me, Jacob.”

“You do not need my forgiveness.”

Rae glanced up and Jacob smiled at him. “Do not worry over Rafa. He is a fallen angel who is doomed for eternity. Unlike others I know.”

Rae stood a little taller and nodded. Jacob had been the keeper of the jungle since the beginning. The fact that he thought Rea sufficient enough to help him and the other elders spoke volumes.

Jacob slipped inside the inner jungle and left Rae to stand alone. Rae would not fail the elders, but what about Avery and her group? If he left Rafa alone, he would get to her.

Rae had already almost failed once. The other girls, Gabby and Katelyn, had come way too close once before. If he had been guarding his post as he should have been, instead of following Avery and her group around, the girls never would have gotten near the place.

At least Jacob had not reminded him about that.

Rae clenched his teeth and thought of Jacob’s words one last time. He had orders. He had a job. A mission.

He had to forget about Avery’s group and protect his home.