Novum: Revelation: (Book 4) Read Online Free

the group, but nothing came to him. “What are we doing?” he asked.
    Raines looked like he was going to answer but then shook his head. “I…I think we were all just going for a short walk.”
    AJ stepped up. “We all have backpacks,” she said, pulling hers off her shoulder. “Seems like a lot of preparation for a short walk.”
    “I’m getting hungry,” Jessie said. “If we head back now, there might still be some leftover breakfast.”
    “I’m with you,” Vee said as they turned and headed back in the direction they had come from.
    As the rest followed, Jake stood there a moment, wondering why he felt like he was forgetting something important. Jane looked back then returned to him. “Coming, Jake?”
    He pointed to the west. “We were walking that way for a reason,” he said. “Why can’t I remember it?”
    She shook her head. “I don’t know, but if you want to return to the village, I’m happy to follow you back.”
    He shrugged and followed the others back up the trail. Several hours later, when the sun was past the noon position, they finally came to the rock wall that bordered the village. His heart skipped a beat when he saw his mother walking towards him with a large steaming bowl in her hands.
    “I’m glad you’re back,” she said as he approached.
    He accepted the bowl from her reluctantly. “How did you know we would be coming back?”
    She smiled. “I didn’t know, but I hoped.”
    He shook his head. “But your people said we’d be back. How did you know?”
    She pointed to the dirt beneath their feet. “This soil is ours, Jake. That stream. That lake. Those trees.” She clasped both of his shoulders. “This valley has been our home for many years, and it’s your home now. Everything you need is here. Everyone you know is here. Why would you want to leave it? Why would anyone want to leave?”
    He didn’t have an answer. Why would he leave? What could some other part of Eden give him that this valley didn’t?
    As he followed her back to the fire pit, other villagers brought food bowls for each of his crewmates.
    Crewmates, he thought. Crew. Mates. The words rang in his mind, over and over. Crew. Crew to what?
    As the afternoon turned to evening, Jake returned to his hut before anyone else and climbed into his bed. He felt exhausted, but it wasn’t just the lengthy walk. He felt like a failure, but a failure at what? He tossed and turned and finally woke to someone snoring. It was cold as he climbed quietly out of his bed and headed for the door.
    The fire pit was still burning, so he decided to head over to warm himself. He stopped abruptly when he saw the silhouettes of two people sitting next to it. He was about to turn around when he overhead one of them say his father’s name.
    “He’s just like Michael, isn’t he?” Jake recognized the voice. It was his mother’s new husband, Nate.
    “I’d like to think he has more of me in him,” his mother’s voice replied.
    “But, I mean, what you said he saw. His ship. Michael saw the same thing, remember. Right before he left.”
    Whatever she said in response, Jake didn’t make out, because he was already running towards them. “Right before he left?” he yelled.
    His mother nearly fell forward into the fire as she struggled to stand. “Jake! What are you doing up?”
    Jake ignored her and faced her husband. “You said my father saw the same thing as me before he left. Left where? What do you mean?”
    “Jacob Stone!” his mother yelled. “Stop screaming at us.”
    He glared at her. “You told me that my father never made it inside,” he spat. His face felt like it was on fire. “You lied to me. You’re nothing but a liar.” He wanted nothing more than to keep screaming at her, but then something hit him square in the face, and he went down.
    As he lay on his back, staring up at the cold, useless stars, he heard his mother say, “I’m sorry, Jake. Nathan was just defending me. As hard as it is for you to