Enflame (Insight #6)(12)
“That is what you are saying. Quit trying to play games with my mind. For all I know, you’re altering that energy.”
“I would think the same in your place. I really don’t care to argue with you. I have nothing to gain from it.”
His gaze moved to the ball of energy in his hands, and his brow furrowed as if he saw something he didn’t believe. His fiery gaze moved to my chest, and with one hand he reached for the chain around my neck, pulling my medallion out of my shirt.
“I’ll be damned,” he said to himself as what I thought was relief flashed across his image. He quickly hid that and returned his expression to his sarcastic, Mr. Know-It-All persona. “Honestly, I was complimenting you. This is balance. Two as one. Light and dark. All of creation. An example to follow for all of its perfections and imperfections alike.”
My thoughts ran rampant. Was I the one that was infecting Landen? Was it too much for him because I helped Drake, too? What have I done...?
“Are you saying opposites attract? They make one?” I asked as my thoughts raced.
“Believe what you will. It is the most powerful combination. A joining like this births powers from both cores...” He turned the energy in his hands and quietly said, “Someone very dear to me has sought a connection like this for some time.”
“Light is more powerful than darkness,” I uttered, trying to convince myself that he was wrong.
“A lie.”
“You are just saying that because you’re dark.”
“I’m dark. I’m real,” he whispered, leaning entirely too close to my neck.
On my other side, a brush of cold air caused chills to rise on my skin. Phoenix nodded, and the chill backed away. A second later, I heard a crashing sound against the wall on the other side of the room. His gaze found mine again.
“What is the defining point that separates light and dark, beyond the obvious shade?”
He was acting like we were at a picnic or something; forget the fact that he was holding my energy in his hand and purposely teasing spirits I couldn’t see.
“One is evil, condemning...one is not.”
“Really? Once again, you need a new teacher.”
“Newsflash: I’m self-taught. This energy, insights—whatever—appear on its own. It’s a curse.”
“Right, then. Let me give your teacher a few Cliff Notes. Darkness is reality. They live in emotions that manifest in circumstance. Light does not tread with emotions. They are universal, plain, and they do not care to toy with emotions beyond a numbing bliss. Everyone has both. Some have their scales tipped a bit to one side. And others like you, me, are more than both. We are not only aware of the other, but we draw power from it.”
“You and I? Try again. I’m not you. And I’m not dark.” Sarcasm was the only response I could come up with. I was intrigued by his theory, but admitting to that could not be a good thing.
“Ah,” he hissed, “have I struck a nerve? What about this reality check has you bothered? Do you feel your beloved will disown you if it’s true?”
“No. Never.”
He smirked. “What is your issue?”
“I’m not going to believe that I’m darkness for, as you put it, ‘kicks and giggles.’ I’m fighting a really dense evil, and I don’t have time to think that I’m part of that.”
“We are talking about darkness, not evil. There is a difference.” He leered. “Tell me you know there is a difference?”
The utter confusion I was feeling was apparent in my lost expression.
“Good God, woman.” He looked down at his hands and nodded for me to follow his stare. “Evil devours. Do you see either of these shades devouring the other?”
“No.”
“Right, then. Here is another newsflash: light can be evil, too.”
“Sure it can.” I breathed figuring this guy was off his rocker.
“There are some that have light energy that intend to devour. You are not that. Whoever this is within your energy is not that. You are balanced...well, sort of.” He furrowed his brow. “You were intended to be balanced. I’m sure that was on your life plan.” His gaze found mine again. “People like you stand in the center. You call the darkness to the light and the light to the darkness. Everyone needs both, and no one needs more of the other, at least not for an extended period of time.”
“Why would someone need to be dark?” I countered.
“If you are on this rock, there are lessons to be learned. If you live in the light of bliss, you may not grasp it. If you live in darkness, you will not grasp it either. You must find bliss. You must find reason to change, and darkness and light together give you that.”
“I’m not buying that.”
“I don’t really care if you do or not. It’s the truth. Show me one insanely blissful person full of light, and I will show you their darkest hour. They will have more than one. We are all tested. Show me the most evil person you can find, and I will show you compassion of course, they may see it as a weakness, but nevertheless, it’s there.”
“And you stand on the side of darkness. If I pull your energy, what would I see?”
He smirked. “Not this. Not anymore.”
There was sadness in his voice, he looked all to human at that moment.