Five: A Maor Novel (Maor series) by Caroline Greyling Page A

she continues:
    ‘The five-fold is an ancient Celtic
symbol,’ she explains. ‘It represents the four elements, the four directions
and the four seasons, joined and balanced by the fifth element .’
    She says ‘fifth element’ with more
than a little touch of awe. I wait, expecting her to go on, since this really
doesn’t make any sense to me, but she doesn’t. She’s holding back and I’m starting
to get impatient. Mom and Dad said she would give me answers and now I want to
hear them.
    ‘Okay,’ I say, ‘but how does it relate
to me , Nan? How did it get onto my
skin? What does it mean and what is this prophecy you’re talking about?’
    Nan sighs and gives me an apologetic
smile.
    ‘Bluebell, I know you’ve been waiting
for answers and I promise, you will get them…but not right now.’
    ‘What?’ I say, a little rudely because
now I’m really getting frustrated with all these secrets. ‘But mom and dad said
you would explain to me.’
    ‘And I will,’ she promises. ‘You will get your answers tonight.’
    ‘But -’
    My complaint is cut short by the
shrill ring of the telephone that is mounted on the wall beside the window. I
want to rip it off its mounting and dunk it in the sink. Why is everyone
refusing to tell me what is going on? And who the hell has such bad timing to
call now?
    ‘Excuse me,’ Nan says as she steps
away and lifts the receiver.
    ‘Darling!’ she exclaims, a huge smile
breaking over her face and I know it’s my mother on the other end of the line.
Figures.
    ‘Yes,’ Nan says, ‘all safe and sound…she’s
right here…certainly…’
    She holds the receiver out to me. I
look at it, then at Nan and say:
    ‘Can we please finish our
conversation?’
    Nan frowns at me.
    ‘Your mother wants to talk to you,
Shaylee.’
    ‘She can wait.’
    ‘Shaylee Greene!’ Nan says. Her
expression is shocked. She hasn’t seen me since age seven and I guess I was
much sweeter and obedient then, but I’m too fed up to care.
    ‘I’m sorry, Nan,’ I say, but my tone
is surly and non-repentant. ‘I’ve been waiting for days and I want some
answers!’
    ‘I told you, Shaylee,’ she says,
patient but firm, ‘You will get them tonight. Right now, I want you to talk to
your mother.’
    She holds the receiver out to me again
and I glare at it, and then back at her. She’s wearing the same expression my
dad did when he told me I would be coming to Aylburton and I know I won’t be
getting any answers now. The thought just makes me angry. Damn my mother! Why
is she always interfering?
    ‘I don’t want to speak to her,’ I say.
I turn and stomp out of the kitchen.
    When I reach my bedroom, I kick the
door shut and fall onto the window seat, scowling. I mutter a few curses, and
then do what I always do when I’m angry and need to vent; I whip my cell phone
from my jeans pocket and dial my best friend.
    ‘It’s about time,’ she says after the
second ring. ‘So I guess you arrived safely then?’
    ‘Yeah,’ I mumble crossly.
    ‘Whoa, what’s up?’ she says,
immediately picking up on my mood.
    ‘They still won’t tell me a thing!’
    ‘But, I thought -’
    ‘Yeah, well, so did I but now Nan says
I have to wait for tonight.’
    ‘But why?’
    ‘How should I know? It’s probably my
mother who told her not to say anything.’
    ‘Shaylee…’
    ‘No, seriously. She just knows exactly
when to call and how to piss me off -’
    ‘Whoa there, tiger,’ Jenne says,
‘you’re not making any sense.’
    ‘How can I when I don’t have a clue
about what’s happening?’ I’m nearly shouting by the end of my sentence, I’m so
irritated. There is a short silence on the other end of the line, then she
starts saying something but I don’t hear what it is because there is a knock on
my bedroom door.
    ‘Hang on a sec,’ I say to Jenne,
cutting her off mid-sentence.
    ‘Yes, Nan?’ I say through the closed
door.
    ‘Can I come in?’ she asks. I sigh,
shake my head and close