Enflame (Insight #6)(18)
“You took the deal blindly and died before I could utter any sense of reason. Once you were gone, I read between the lines.” He glanced to my necklace. “I figured out that the curse was already in play, but it was simplistic in its creations. Now, with that last deal, everything is on the line.”
“How so?” Landen asked.
“You lose, in any way, shape, or form what you set out to end will rule forever more.”
“What is on the other side? More dimensions?” Landen questioned, wondering about this forgotten heritage.
“A reality that is prepared to cut this dead limb off, but if they do that, they die. Either we fix this or we figure out how to convince them to give us more time. Evil may not have manifested on that side, but it doesn’t mean that close-minded souls do not exist.”
Landen nodded once, as if he already knew that in some way. “What I don’t understand is that without some degree of balance, we will all perish, whether it be by darkness or light. Why are there souls that want that? Why is there a war in the first place?” Landen mused, sounding a lot like his grandfather at that moment.
“What you are up against is a sea of addicts, souls addicted to energy they should have never taken in. They have infected the masses, used them to feed their addiction. The time for philosophy has ended. They have to perish. This reality needs a rebirth.”
“My words,” Landen said under his breath.
“And I recite them every day because if I didn’t, I would have decided that living blindly was far more pleasurable, but you, Brother, taught me well. I’ve learned that instant gratification is for fools and eternal gratification is for sovereigns. I’m no fool, neither are you.”
“Were we alone?” Landen asked.
“Others are to come. You said they would surface when the time came, when the pieces were in place. The first was finding your counterpart. You always said she was the key. At one time we even thought that the images she was known for seeing would allow us to see our family in the bright reality, that she could get us out of hell if you will.”
“How did we come up with that idea?” Landen asked as his fingertips eased across my arm. I had pretty much stopped seeing images. More than likely because of this cage I had my soul locked in. I had to figure out how to balance, that much I knew.
“Mate, back then, The Selected let you through The Fall. You were not trained to do so but our family name gave us the weight we needed to give you the chance you wanted. You were pulled back unexpectedly. Apparently, you had found her in this reality. The two of you were fighting against Donalt. Somehow, hours later, she came through The Fall as well, she followed you home. When asked how, she said she followed your emotion, that she saw an image of you.” he let out a breath. “Both of you wanted to go back immediately—finished what you started. I convinced you to at least speak to our world with me. They wanted to close The Fall. I knew they would not care if you were trapped over there. Our plan was find you time. To ease the worries. That’s where we were when you had your vision. When we came home to find our home burning.”
Silence weighted the room.
“If she can see the other side, she can get us across if we figure out we are in over our heads.”
“Are you suggesting that I run from this?” Landen accused. “That I let over four million years wash away, billions upon billions suffer because I’m a coward?” Landen argued.
“No. We’ll work through this curse, but if we get down to the last minute, you are going to have to bail. Dane, others, have layered this curse so deep that I don’t care what witch, shaman, or spirit guide you find they cannot protect you this go-around. You’re against Escorts, Mirrors, Demons you name it, and you will fight it.”
“I have Witnesses on my side.”
“Right, mate, and shadowed souls, but the problem is, they are bound by your words from past lives. You’re going to have to remember what you said if you want to speed this up, either that or hope you knew what you were doing back then, that The Selected endowed you with some sacred secrets or something.”
At that moment they both glanced behind them. The smell of sage filled the room as my heart began to beat out of control.
Chapter Five
Landen rose to his feet, pulling me with him. Phoenix followed. I felt an emotion full of grief and anger and fearless intent to set us on the right path coming right at me. A moment later, Saige opened the front door. Her heavy footsteps slowly made their way to the room in which we were standing.
Her eyes met Landen’s first. She nodded once as if to confirm she had completed some task, then scornfully moved her gaze to Phoenix.
He smirked in response. “Thanks for giving me a ring. It would have been nice if you stuck around and provided a little insight.”
“What insight do you need? Did you not recognize her?” Saige said with disdain.
“Recognize her? No. She’s abundantly healthier than I’ve ever seen her. Once I did piece it all together, I almost took off with her. We both know that would have been tragic.”
Landen’s glare confirmed that point.
“How’s the reunion. Are we any closer to freeing my daughter?” Saige asked in an exhausted tone.
“Not at all. He’s still blind.”
Saige slowly made her way to Landen, letting her eyes look all around him. “Not completely.”