Return to Eden Read Online Free

I’m a Horseman, too, and this is Malini." He stared at Jesse expectantly.
    Malini sighed deeply. "Patience isn’t high on Jacob’s list of virtues. We’re sorry to disturb your practice."
    "It’s okay," Jesse said. "If Master Lee brought you back here, he must trust you, and I so rarely have an audience when I practice." He rolled onto his back and flipped up onto his feet. "I’m a ghost."
    "A ghost." Jacob furrowed his brow. "Like you're dead?"
    He chuckled. "No. I’m very much alive, but have perfected the art of making others forget that particular flaw when I want them to."
    Jacob rotated his head toward Master Lee and raised his eyebrows. The old man nodded. There was a bottle of water against the wall behind Jesse. Jacob reached out with his power, keeping his hands folded innocently in front of him. He willed the water to pop open and then sent four razor sharp needles of ice hurtling toward Jesse’s back.
    Jesse didn’t flinch. For a moment Jacob worried he’d shred the new Soulkeeper. But the ice passed right through the guy, as if he were an illusion. The needles hit the opposite wall and melted down the cinderblocks. Floored, Jacob stepped forward and grabbed Jesse’s forearm, as solid and human as Jacob’s.
    "You owe me a new water," Jesse murmured. His arm dissolved from between Jacob’s fingers. In the blink of an eye, he’d completely disappeared and reappeared next to Master Lee.
    "Wow," Jacob said.
    Master Lee beamed with pride. "When he came to me, he could only shift the molecules in his arms. Now he can disperse his entire body and bring it back together. We’ve had him in the air for as long as five minutes."
    Malini cleared her throat. "Your gift is amazing, Jesse. Unfortunately, we need to talk about something serious and I don’t think we should wait. Master Lee, here or in your office?"
    "I believe the chairs in my office will be more comfortable." Master Lee led the group through the corridor and keyed the code to open the cabinet. They emerged into the small office. Malini and Jesse slid into the two chairs in front of the desk. Jacob pulled over a stack of boxes with Chinese characters written in permanent marker on the front and got comfortable.
    "As you both know, Watcher activity has been increasing steadily over the last several months," Malini began.
    Jesse shifted in his chair. "We noticed. We can hardly keep up."
    "We have reason to believe that Lucifer is planning an attack. We're not sure of all of the details but we do know that he's obtained a list of active Soulkeepers. Your names are on that list."
    Master Lee cleared his throat. "He knows who we are?"
    "Not yet. The list is guarded by a spell but it's only a matter of time before he finds a way to read it. You’re not safe here anymore. We believe Lucifer is planning to kill the Soulkeepers. Everyone on that list."
    "How do we stop him? What do we need to do?" Lee rubbed his milky eye with his fingers.
    "We need to move you to a safe house. We have a place where we can train together and prepare a coordinated defense."
    Jesse’s head snapped around. "Malini, is it? I don’t understand. I’m a Horseman. It’s my job to protect people from Watchers. If they come, I’ll kill them. Not the other way around."
    Placing her hand on Jesse’s, Malini turned her full attention to the boy’s purple eyes. "If it were one or two, I’d know you could handle it. Lucifer is raising an army and he’s collected hundreds of humans to feed them. If you are able to fight off the ones who come for you, you’ll be distracted from the real attack, the battle for humanity."
    Master Lee leaned forward. "Are you saying Lucifer is attempting to reclaim the earthly realm?"
    "Exactly. We don’t know how he’s planning to do it but we know translating the list is a major step in his plan. Our only hope to stop him is to convene the remaining Soulkeepers. He’ll expect us to be scattered. We need to unite and have a coordinated defense