The glow simmered down as he approached me. Me, not Jake. He held my stare, his eyes kind, and stopped before me. “Hello, Indigo.”
“Hello, Silas,” I said.
He grinned. “Well done. Yes, you can call me Silas.” He glanced at Jake, then said, “I know you're confused. There have been so many charlatans in the world. It's hard to believe it when a man says he's God.” He laughed. “Ridiculous, right? I must be tricking people.” He held out a hand. “Will you give me a chance to show you the truth, Indigo?”
I stared at his hand.
Silas swung that hand toward Jake. “The keys, if you please, Jacob.”
Jake immediately tossed Silas my keys.
Silas offered them to me. “You are not a prisoner here. Now, that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? God doesn't need to cage people. After all, there is nowhere on this planet that you can go where I can't find you.”
I snatched my keys from him. “That sounds like a threat.”
Silas held his hands up even as those weird people gasped. “It's not. It's only the truth.”
Then he vanished. Just fucking disappeared.
I flinched, then spun to look for him. I found him standing beside my car.
“What the fuck?” I whispered.
And then he was right in front of me again.
I lurched back with a scream.
Silas steadied me. “I am who I say I am, Indigo. But there is more to me than most humans know. I'm willing toshare things with you because you're special to Jake, and Jake is special to me. Will you listen?”
Fuck no!I screamed in my head. But aloud, I whispered, “Okay.”
“Good girl.” Silas took my hand and closed it around my car keys. “These are yours. You can leave at any time. You have my word. And the word of God is carved in stone.” He winked at me.
I swayed.
“Indie!” Jake rushed over to me, but Silas was already helping me into the house.
“She's fine, Jacob,” Silas said. “Would you oversee the preparation of some refreshments while I speak with your Indie? You can advise the chefs on what she'd prefer.”
“Sure.” Jake looked at me. “You okay if I leave you with Silas?”
“Uh.” I looked from Jake to Silas. “I guess so.”
Jake frowned.
“Jacob, you know she's safe with me,” Silas said.
Jake blinked, straightened, and then nodded. He followed us into the house. I had to focus on walking. Shock like that doesn't mix well with ambulation. As we went down a long hallway, Jake broke off with his groupies, heading into a room. Silas continued to lead me deeper into the log palace, and I couldn't help feeling as if I was leaving reality behind. The deeper I went into that place, the deeper I went into madness.
And yet, I kept walking.
“Here we are,” Silas said and ushered me into a living room decorated to go with the log palace theme. Rustic but wealthy. The curtains were plaid velvet in hunter green, thick rugs covered the polished hardwood floor, and the furniture was all overstuffed and upholstered in red cotton. Perky plaid pillows adorned the sofa Silas led me to.
I sat down against the puffy plaid, and he sat beside me. It was then that I realized the door was shut. Not that it mattered. I had the feeling that he could have murdered me in front of those people and not a single one would lift a finger to stop him. My heart raced. What had I followed Jake into?
“Be at ease,” Silas said as he laid a hand on my shoulder.
Something wonderful swept through me. My muscles relaxed, my heartbeat slowed, and happiness filled me. It was as if he'd given me a shot of dopamine. Silas didn't glow or show any sign that he was behind my instant calm. But when he drew his hand away from me, I felt bereft. And I didn't like that.
