Chapter Twenty

Jacoby looked down at Bailey. Inside, he cringing away from the idea of ending her life. Would he be able to do it? He shook his head and sternly scolded himself. She'll be fine. She'll never end up in the Shadows.

"Well, I'd better get to my room so I can shower and get changed. You need to calm Marahute down. She's been antsy all night," he said, kissing her forehead.

Bailey looked at him and frowned. "O-okay," she said.

Jacoby let her go and strode to the door without a backward glance, leaving Bailey on the bed, confused and hurt. After the door was shut, he leaned against it and cursed himself. He shouldn't have promised it. He felt sick to his stomach.

Jacoby bent over and put his hands on his knees. Shaking his head, he cleared the thoughts of ending her life. Suddenly heavy footesteps echoed down the hall. He sighed and straightened up and arranged his face into a mask of inconvinence as Polaris rounded the corner.

"Jacoby, Umbriel wants to meet with you and Bailey," the bear said.

"I will talk to her, but Bailey needs to rest. She was traumatized yesterday," Jacoby said, sternly.

"But..." Polaris started, but Jacoby held up his hand.

"No, buts. I will speak with Umbriel. Bailey is not to be disturbed except by her companion, Marahute," he said, with a note of finality.

Polaris sighed deeply. "I can't do that, Jacoby. She needs to talk to Umbriel," he said, shaking his head.

"And she will. Later. There's nothing that Bailey can tell her that I can't," Jacoby snapped.

And without another word, he swept down the hall, leaving Polaris behind. The bear shook his head as he followed the human. Jacoby walked through the door and into the Council Chambers. Men and women in yellow robes sat around the long table and several more stood huddled in a couple of the corners of the room.

"Ah, Jacoby. You are expected," Umbriel said, smiling brightly.

"And here I am," he said, bowing slightly.

"Where's Bailey? I'd like to speak to her as well," she said.

"She's indesposed. You will talk to her after efficient food, water and rest," Jacoby said, sitting in a vacant chair.

"Jacoby, that's very admirable, but she must be here. The Council would like to speak to her. It's a matter of urgency," Umbriel said, her smile fading.

"I'm sorry, Umbriel. Bailey has been traumatized. She needs at least one day to recooperate," Jacoby said, crossly.

"And I'm sorry, but that's not going to work. She's strong and tough. She'll be fine. Polaris, please go and retrieve Miss Ross," Umbriel said, firmly, as Polaris entered the room.

Jacoby stood up and crossed to the door. "No. I forbid it. You will talk to her, just not now," he snapped.

"What happened?" Polaris asked, intervening.

Jacoby looked at him and sighed. He explained what happened the day before in the Field of Fairness. He spared no detail. When he finished, he sighed disgustedly.

"Are you happy?" he asked.

"There's something else. You've never been bothered by Shadow Slaves before," Polaris noted.

Jacoby shot him a dirty look but said nothing. Umbriel sighed.

"Jacoby, if there's something missing, you must tell us," she said.

Jacoby shook his head. "It's none of your concern," he said, quietly.

"That's not up to you to decide," an elderly woman said from the corner.

Jacoby sighed but didn't say anything.

"Please. If it will help stop Medalia's tyranny, please," Umbriel said, pleadingly.

Jacoby stared around the room, looking for help. When he received none, he groaned and held his stomach. "Bailey was worried that if they would have taken her to the Shadows, she would have been turned into a Slave," he said, in a flat voice.

"She doesn't know that!" Polaris said.

"She thinks she does. She says she won't follow the orders of Medalia or Ranaf if they had taken her, so they would have turned her into a Shadow Slave so they can train her properly," Jacoby explained.

There were murmurs from the Council members. Umbriel narrowed her eyes slightly at Jacoby. "There's something else," she accused.

"If she does become a Shadow Slave, I am to kill her," he said, in a monotone.

The room fell silent as everyone processed what he had said.

"Take it lightly, Jacoby. She will not become a Shadow Slave. She's stronger and smarter than that," Polaris assured him.

"How can I take it lightly? She's my wife. She will carry our child!" he said, desperately.

"Control yourself! Nothing is set in stone yet! Right now, put it from your mind and work at the task at hand," Umbriel said, sternly.

There were mutters of agreement. He shook his head, but stayed silent. She frowned at Jacoby, who was looking at the floor again.

"That will not be a decision that needs to be made. Bailey is safe and sound. However, she is not allowed to descend the waterfall. She must stay in Radiance. For her own safety," she said, in a softer tone.

Jacoby lifted his head and nodded.

"Moving on. Have you told her?" Umbriel asked, suddenly serious.

He looked at her and shook his head. She sighed, disappointedly.

"You have one day. By then you must tell her, or have someone tell her," she said.

"I can't tell her. I can't take that part away from her! Not after what just happened!" he exclaimed.

"You must! It was never hers to begin with!" Umbriel said, heatedly.

"How?! How can I tell her that?! Hasn't she been through enough?!" Jacoby asked, his voice breaking.

"She must know the truth! She must know what her parents were killed for!"

"She knows Medalia had them killed. And she knows why!" Jacoby insisted.

"She knows the lie. She deserves the truth," Polaris interjected.

Jacoby lurched to his feet and left the room without another word. Umbriel sighed heavily and placed her hands in her head.

"M'lady, do you really think he'll tell her?" a Councilman on her right asked, patting her wrist.

"I don't know, Josiah. I just don't know," she said, finally.

Meanwhile back in Bailey's room...

Bailey sat up in bed as Marahute entered with a large tray of food.

"Good morning, Marahute," she said, smiling.

The girl looked at her with immense relief. She set the tray of food on her own bed and wrapped her arms around Bailey, who chuckled.

"I'm glad to see you too," she said.

Marahute released her and brought the tray over and set it across Bailey's lap.

"Thank you. Please join me," Bailey insisted.

Marahute nodded and sat at Bailey's feet, taking a piece of toast.

"Marahute, I've been wanting to ask something. But I don't want to offend you," Bailey said, spreading some jam onto a piece of toast.

Marahute waved her hand and nodded.

"Would you...like it if someone taught you to talk? Or maybe not taught, but helped you," Bailey asked, awkwardly.

Marahute thought for a moment then nodded and pointed at Bailey.

"Who, me?" Bailey asked, caught off guard.

Marahute nodded again. She then motioned to Bailey and mimicked yelling then shaking her head.

"I don't yell at you?" Bailey asked.

Marahute nodded and took a bite of her toast.

"That's because you don't deserve to be yelled at. And I'm a very patient person," Bailey added.

They ate in silence for a moment. Then Marahute signaled between them two and shrugged.

"What?" Bailey asked.

Marahute looked around and pointed to a clock perched on the wall.

"Oh, when did we want to get started?" Bailey asked.

Marahute smiled and nodded.

"When did you want to start?"

Marahute shrugged and pointed to the clock again.

"Now?"

Marahute nodded. Bailey smiled and straightened up.

"Sure. Now is great!" she said, taking a drink of juice.