yourself in a pretty mess I can see.’
Genie nodded. Mouch squirmed beside her. Clearly he could see her too.
‘Will it ever end? Will the Fortress get me, Grandma? ‘Cause if it’s inevitable, let them get me now. I’ve lost my friends, lost Ri. I can’t live without Ri.’
Grandma Munby smiled, stroking Genie’s arm with one of her feathers. Genie could feel it; it was as if warm sunlight was covering her. Even Mouch began to relax beside her.
‘I’m here to make sure they don’t.’
‘They got me before. Where were you then?’
‘You lived. You found the others. You have power within you, girl. That’s what they want. The magic inside you.’
Genie noticed the ruby necklace hanging around her grandma’s neck. Her mother had been so upset that it had been missing when she died. Yet here it was.
‘This is yours, y’know. I left it to you. Here …’ She slipped it off her neck and put it over Genie’s head. ‘Perfect.’
Genie looked down and saw the ruby hanging there. It was impossible for a spirit to give something to the living, wasn’t it?
‘It’s to keep you safe,’ Grandma Munby told her, smiling.
‘But what about you? What keeps you safe now?’
‘Nothing can hurt me now. Nothing.’
‘Did you really kill my father?’ Genie asked, instantly regretting she’d asked.
Grandma Munby sighed. ‘It was an accident. Whatever I did was to protect your mother and you. I never regretted it. Not for a second. You too will do things to protect the ones you love, Genie.’
Genie didn’t believe for one moment that this woman had murdered her father. It had to be a mistake.
Grandma Munby looked around her for a moment. A breeze gusted through the trees and sunlight glistened off the water.
‘This is a pretty place,’ she declared. ‘I miss my river. I wish we’d had more time to get to know each other. Your mother and I were enemies almost from the time she was born. Such heartaches …’
Genie put a hand out to her grandma. She was as solid as any real person; it was quite a shock. She took her grandma’s old hands and held them, wishing with all her heart that she had gotten to know the old woman better. Her mother had done everything to ruin her life so far. Almost as if she had dedicated her life to the task.
Grandma Munby took a deep breath. ‘Can’t stay long. Rian is waiting for you. He needs you. He’s a good boy. I hope he’ll stay with you for ever, girl. Others will want him; you’ll have to guard him well. Your child will be wayward, but always honourable and he will respect you. He’ll have different talents to you. I can’t say what just yet. But your gift, like mine, is to help others live a better life.’
Genie didn’t understand why she was talking of her child. How could she know? She and Ri had so few intimate moments.
‘No, no, I can see what you’re thinking; don’t worry. Long after you marry. The child to come in the future.’
Genie felt relief, embarrassment and guilt all at once. It was good to know that she and Ri would marry. She hoped that was true.
‘There are surprises ahead, my treasure. Not all goes to plan. But you have more than one guardian. Marshall worries, his son frets. No one you meet forgets you. Remember this, the sky isn’t your friend and they won’t give up easy. But neither will you.’
Genie bit her lip. ‘Grandma, I feel guilty running away. My friends are trapped at the Fortress. I know we have to run, but can I help them?’
Grandma Munby just smiled. ‘First save yourself. You’re still in danger. Men are coming with guns. The situation has changed. They may not care if you live or die.’
Genie’s heart skipped a beat.
‘Listen, gather your friends. Go east to the old Cariboo and she’ll be waiting for you.’
‘Who?’
‘She who waits. And, Genie, people love you, but never take it for granted. It is the one regret I carry with me – you never knew how much I loved you.’
‘Till
Genie nodded. Mouch squirmed beside her. Clearly he could see her too.
‘Will it ever end? Will the Fortress get me, Grandma? ‘Cause if it’s inevitable, let them get me now. I’ve lost my friends, lost Ri. I can’t live without Ri.’
Grandma Munby smiled, stroking Genie’s arm with one of her feathers. Genie could feel it; it was as if warm sunlight was covering her. Even Mouch began to relax beside her.
‘I’m here to make sure they don’t.’
‘They got me before. Where were you then?’
‘You lived. You found the others. You have power within you, girl. That’s what they want. The magic inside you.’
Genie noticed the ruby necklace hanging around her grandma’s neck. Her mother had been so upset that it had been missing when she died. Yet here it was.
‘This is yours, y’know. I left it to you. Here …’ She slipped it off her neck and put it over Genie’s head. ‘Perfect.’
Genie looked down and saw the ruby hanging there. It was impossible for a spirit to give something to the living, wasn’t it?
‘It’s to keep you safe,’ Grandma Munby told her, smiling.
‘But what about you? What keeps you safe now?’
‘Nothing can hurt me now. Nothing.’
‘Did you really kill my father?’ Genie asked, instantly regretting she’d asked.
Grandma Munby sighed. ‘It was an accident. Whatever I did was to protect your mother and you. I never regretted it. Not for a second. You too will do things to protect the ones you love, Genie.’
Genie didn’t believe for one moment that this woman had murdered her father. It had to be a mistake.
Grandma Munby looked around her for a moment. A breeze gusted through the trees and sunlight glistened off the water.
‘This is a pretty place,’ she declared. ‘I miss my river. I wish we’d had more time to get to know each other. Your mother and I were enemies almost from the time she was born. Such heartaches …’
Genie put a hand out to her grandma. She was as solid as any real person; it was quite a shock. She took her grandma’s old hands and held them, wishing with all her heart that she had gotten to know the old woman better. Her mother had done everything to ruin her life so far. Almost as if she had dedicated her life to the task.
Grandma Munby took a deep breath. ‘Can’t stay long. Rian is waiting for you. He needs you. He’s a good boy. I hope he’ll stay with you for ever, girl. Others will want him; you’ll have to guard him well. Your child will be wayward, but always honourable and he will respect you. He’ll have different talents to you. I can’t say what just yet. But your gift, like mine, is to help others live a better life.’
Genie didn’t understand why she was talking of her child. How could she know? She and Ri had so few intimate moments.
‘No, no, I can see what you’re thinking; don’t worry. Long after you marry. The child to come in the future.’
Genie felt relief, embarrassment and guilt all at once. It was good to know that she and Ri would marry. She hoped that was true.
‘There are surprises ahead, my treasure. Not all goes to plan. But you have more than one guardian. Marshall worries, his son frets. No one you meet forgets you. Remember this, the sky isn’t your friend and they won’t give up easy. But neither will you.’
Genie bit her lip. ‘Grandma, I feel guilty running away. My friends are trapped at the Fortress. I know we have to run, but can I help them?’
Grandma Munby just smiled. ‘First save yourself. You’re still in danger. Men are coming with guns. The situation has changed. They may not care if you live or die.’
Genie’s heart skipped a beat.
‘Listen, gather your friends. Go east to the old Cariboo and she’ll be waiting for you.’
‘Who?’
‘She who waits. And, Genie, people love you, but never take it for granted. It is the one regret I carry with me – you never knew how much I loved you.’
‘Till
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