34 - LA JADE

Jonathan immediately contacted the Authentic in St Germain, who helped expedite Julia’s new journey. After a brief stop in France for a debriefing and a quick lesson on what Devi had done and changed in the more than half a century that she had been isolated, she flew to Recife.

Julia appeared tired and drawn, which was not unexpected, but she displayed vigour in her actions.

After reacquainting herself with Eve and Jonathan for a period, she settled into a quiet, almost reclusive lifestyle.

“Evelyn, I thought a lot about you and some others daily. It kept me going emotionally. Physically, I had no issue; the torture, the abuse, the hardships and the evil and fear sustained my body. I have seen and felt enough death and pain near me that I could live for 5,000 years.”

Evelyn was aware of the horrors of the war period and wanted to change her friend's course of discussion.

“A Siberian village for forty years. How did you pull that off?”

“We visited three villages over the years, and each accepted us fully and openly. Living in the middle of the vast Taiga and being 500 miles from the nearest trace of anything of note. The guards were not overly weaponized, enthusiastic or brilliant. We overpowered two of them, seized their guns, and killed a few more. There was myself, three other women and two men in our social rebellion. Six of us Devi, ended up in a single camp; three were stopping there and part of a larger group transiting to another camp. So we seized the opportunity.

I will say that the forbidden emotional wave we feel when killing someone is still felt at 40 yards, even with an assault rifle.   

We were known as the fair-skinned witches, as the locals were a mix of Central Asians, Siberian Tartars, and Khakas. Red hair, freckles and alabaster skin were all pretty damn unique.

We had grown accustomed to one another's thoughts, and beyond that, the silence was inspiring.

Only two of the others and I got through the time. Irakli Abramov, a Hungarian Jew, who was a communist but anti-Stalinist, and Bogumiła Piotrowska, a Polish resistance fighter who fought both the Germans and the Russians in the name of saving Poland.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“Given the open concept and general quiet acceptance of the rights of people like me. I am going to write books. I have three in mind. My stories are going to be fictional accounts of living in Siberia. The second will be my “mother's” account of being a lesbian in a Russian gulag, and the third will be my “grandmother’s” account of the ‘power of the black triangle. That is my goal and my gift to the world.”

The new millennium brought Jonathan into a bit of a funk. He was becoming more concerned that he could not remember anything before 1453. Most pure-born Devi could recall every aspect of their lives. Those who were ‘turned’ could remember their pre-Devi lives. But not him. More troubling was the fact that some of the first few pages were missing in the dossier on him in the Devi archives. 

He was just an aimless five-hundred-fifty-year-old man, not knowing where he had been or where he was going.   

“Darling, an immortal with melancholy, is, in all likelihood, a bad thing. With a Standard, they may get down in the dumps for a day or two. What will you do, mope about the house for the next fifty or sixty years? If so, I want a divorce.”

It is not that I am down; I am just wondering why I cannot remember things past a point.”

“Is there a Devi psychoanalyst? A 1200-year-old Sigmund Freud?”

“Seriously, Evie, I have to find out about this, and I can’t turn anywhere.”

You could go back to the Authentic’s library and look for details. I could help.”

“No, that is a dead end. I mentioned it to her years ago; she looked a little shocked and said that it happens from time to time: papers get lost. That was one of the reasons she started having things copied in 1940. And that was by hand. Now, it is all scanned and stored on computer drives. Furthermore, I am sure if there was a psychologist, they would be briefed on what to say and what not to say.”

“Then take a step on the wild side and look in forbidden places.

“What are you talking about?”

“LaJade, she is your friend, and if the Authentic has secrets, who better to spill the tea with than?”

From Recife, it was almost a six-hour flight to Caracas, Venezuela, and then a short flight to Aruba.

The Authentic had been more open to some Devi visiting the island and even to whatever island she was on at a given time. 

She had her braids wrapped in a bright yellow printed head scarf and wore a matching low-cut long flowing dress.

She looked pleased to see them. “What is it, my darling Johnny, that I can do for you? I am but a simple girl leading a long, simple life.”

“LaJade, nothing about you is simple, and I have an issue that I think you, in your wisdom, can help me with, and we are here at Evie’s suggestion.”

“Evie? You called her Evie. What is the straight and formal Jonathan St Croix, the by-the-book fellow who always followed all the rules unless he thought he could do it better?”

LaJade raised her hand, and almost magically, the staff carried out a long table and proceeded to laden it with food.

“I think I can talk better with Arroz Moro, Calco Stoba, and Pan Bati, or for you, Evie, that would be rice and beans, conch stew, and beaten bread. And as I knew you were coming, there is a special occasion fruit cake, Bolo Preto.

What problem do you have that you seek the comforting wisdom of the dark Island Queen?”

John reached out to take Evie’s hand and looked at her. Turning to LaJade, he spoke his issue in as few words as he could.

“All Devi have exceptional memories, which is a gift for both the born and the turned; I cannot remember where I am from or when. I am adrift, and I need to know why.”

LaJade looked visibly shaken. One word the Devi rarely said was ‘Adrift.’ It usually meant becoming a non-Devi and aging rapidly or, in rare cases, ending one’s own life. But she understood how he used the word, having a fear of being a Devi.

“My Son, Jonathan, what do you mean exactly that you do not remember when? And back to when?”

“I recall being in a fabulous tent and talking with the early Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II. That was 548 years ago, and I have no memory of where I was before that date, what I did or even who I was.”

“The Authentic could help you with that quest, could she not? I hear she has a huge archive of Devi from the past. I am told it is an old Frankish and a Germanic trait.” 

“I looked at my dossier in the archives, and my file was incomplete; the first pages and records were gone. The story of Mehmed II was on the lower half of a page, and the top was torn off.” 

“That is strange. Did you ask Her?”

“She said, the accident happened, and she changed the subject,”

“I know of a rumoured case where a Devi was adrift in the same manner, maybe two cases. I will leave you two lovers to enjoy the still night air, and perhaps a walk on the beach will ease your mind.”

 

A hundred million stars shone down on them as they walked the shore. The waves were lapping, which was the only sound they could hear. They were alone, looking out over the sea under a canopy of stars.

Jonathan, if it were to end and we shared a final moment and a final dream or song, I would wish for this: you and me, an endless sea and the countless stars above us. I will love you forever.”

“I will love you forever, and I share that wish.”

After the perfect walk, a large bed, an open door to a large veranda, a slow circling fan on the ceiling, cool sheets, and a passionate night of love.

Breakfast was served on the veranda. They could almost reach out and touch the fronds on the palms. A vivid Venezuelan troupial landed on the railing at the table, looked at them, and called out with its distinctive “tweet-tweet-to.” Eve tossed a berry toward the bird. It looked at her, then at the berry, and then ate it. It called out again and flew off.

They mentioned it to the staff and laughed, saying it was just Luis looking for a free meal. The staff person also said they had a free day as LaJade would be unavailable. 

As Aruba is only 75 square miles, they decided to travel to the highest mountain on the island to take it all in at once.

When the name Jamanota is broken down to its Arawak language origins, JA or YA means spirit; MA means great or great spirit; NO is a suffix denoting a plural; and TA means source. So, the name means "Source of Great Spirits."

Evelyn became slightly disorientated on the hill and commented. “There is some serious magick here.”

Returning to LaJade’s compound, a line of four large sedans were pulling away as they arrived.

The staff member who had served them breakfast met them at the door and said, ‘LaJade has completed her daily tasks, and after dinner, she would be willing to discuss your matter.

They ate an early dinner in their room, consisting of mahi-mahi and conch soup, then shared a plate of Bolita di Keshi, deep-fried cheese balls.

 

“My Grace.”

“My Grace.”

“Jonathan, Jonathan, what am I going to do with you? Today was busy, and I mentioned a hypothetical story of being ‘adrift’ to my compatriots whom you saw leaving. They were here on another matter. I will say that the conversation did not go well. They were not forgiving, saying that anyone adrift should be expeditiously removed from the community, and they did not mean move them to Chad.”

“Was there any positive comment on my condition?”

“Yes, they confirmed the rumours. Although the stories are still unclear, there are several sources.

The cause in both these stories was a near-death giving. Feeding a Standard or another Devi with almost all your life force.”

“I don’t think I did that; I would remember that… no, I guess I would not.”

“Tell me what you do remember of that time.”

“I was a General with the Army of Mehmed II. the Exalted Mehmed. The siege of the city lasted fifty-five days. To bypass the obstacles at the Golden Horn, I suggested moving ships overland, leading us to victory as we destroyed and defeated the Genoese ships.” 

“Why was a pretty white boy like you commanding ships or even an officer in his holy Muslim army? How did he know you were not a Genoese or Italian spy?”

“I do not know; that is why I am here.”

“I want to play a game with you. Do you know the Arabic word' saqat?”

“Yes, it means “he fell.”

“Say the word saqat and then St Croix. How phonetically different is St Croix from: saqat?”

“They are nothing alike, totally unrelated, not the same. There is a hard ‘T’ and they end differently

“Put a slice of this papaya in your mouth and say your name.”

“What?”

“You came here for my help, so do as I ask.”

“Nontha Saqat”

“Yes, see, Nontha Saqat, and what does ‘Nontha’ mean.”

“We finish.” 

“Now your name, Jonathan St Croix, sounds in a strange way like Nontha Saqat’, or We finish He falls. Could that allude to someone sacrificing themselves to save a great cause or a great man and allow him to finish his appointed task? A Devi willing to sacrifice himself to the point of death, or being adrift and losing his former self and memory?” 

What, I saved someone just before the siege and was revived, and I am an Ottoman hero?”

“Yes, rumour has it. Suppose you did give too much of your life force, and in a moment of recovery, you heard someone say, ‘Nontha Saqat’. To your English, French, Italian or Spanish ear, it would sound like ‘Jonathan St Croix, would it not?”

“Yes, I guess it would. But how would I find out and be sure?”

“Qatar and the Arab Emirates. There are some long-time Devi there who could help you.”

“I beg your pardon, but about 40 or 45 years ago, I was asked by the Authentic to create a census of Devi worldwide, and there was a considerable dearth of Devi on the Arab side of the Persian Gulf.”

“Two things, my child, Evie: the first is the types of mysticism in the Arab Islamic culture and, the second, money. Take Sufism, the mystic path of Islam, very spiritual in unusual ways. Recently, the money in the gulf can just as easily hide secrets as the shifting sands of the Rub' al Khali or Empty Quarter.

That is all I can say. Go east, young man, and find your past

Goodnight.”

 

With that, LaJade effortlessly swept herself out of the room, leaving them alone.

“Qatar? I have never been there. Are you up for a challenge?”

“John, you created me for this sort of thing. We can fly out tomorrow morning. Here to Kingston, then to New York and then the land of Aladdin.”