See How She Awakens (The Chronicles of Izzy #4)(47)

“I just spent two months floating in darkness. I think I’ve rested enough.” Frustration was starting to get the best of me. Something had happened in this room, and no one wanted to tell me.

“This is a discussion best had in private.” Aberto’s jaw clenched as he looked me straight in the eyes.

“Was I that bad?” I thought back, trying to remember if I’d really been so horrible, but I couldn’t think of anything that would make them not want to talk about what had occurred.

“Not you. Never you,” Aberto promised, squeezing my hand in his. “If you will excuse me for a moment.” And poof, he was gone. I’d just come back from the dead, and not even that could get him to stick around and talk about the hard stuff.

“Ian, Bruce? Would one of you please just explain to me what happened?” I looked between the two of them, hoping one would be brave enough to tell me what was going on.

“Let me,” Ian said to Bruce. He made his way to the door, motioning for me to follow.

I stood, my legs still unsteady. Molly slowly made her way to me, putting her arm around my waist to support me. Maybe they were right. Maybe I should rest. But I knew myself. I wouldn’t get an ounce of sleep if I didn’t find out what was happening; what had happened.

“I’ll go with you guys,” Molly said, as though she hadn’t just come to keep me from face planting on the floor.

“Thanks.” I leaned on her strength as we made our way out of the office and down the hall to a small room.

Ugh. This room. The stupid shrink’s office. So, they thought I was crazy again? I’d spent enough time in there after my time at the lab. It was the last place I wanted to go today.

“Don’t worry, Izzy. No shrinks.” Molly laughed, leading me into the empty office. The furniture all remained, but it looked as though no heads had been shrunk in this room for some time.

“So, why is everyone being so tight lipped? You were there Ian, what did you see?” Sitting down on the couch was the most welcome relief I’d had all day; well that, and coming back from the great beyond.

“Izzy, what I’m about to tell you is only known by the ten and the Seers that were present. And Molly, but only because I can’t keep things from her.” Ian smiled at Molly. The warmth in that one look squeezed my heart. I’d been looked at like that once. Though the unbearable agony of grief had been lifted, the sadness still remained.

“So?” I prompted, hoping to get my mind off of Kennan.

“I will tell you what I saw from the other side of the veil as we waited, then I will tell you what happened after you died, for a lack of a better word.” Ian paused. I wasn’t sure whether he wanted my permission, or he was waiting for me to interrupt with more questions. I probably deserved the latter.

“Go on,” I grumbled.

“When we arrived, you were gone, Izzy. Well and truly gone. But you told us not to act, to wait until we knew for sure. So we did. I watched as the darkness used you like a twisted puppet. Then they brought in the Seer for you to transform. I could see the change in your eyes, the battle raging inside as you struggled to regain control.” Ian waited a moment, seemingly trying to gather his thoughts. “Perhaps you should just sift my memories, it might be the easiest.”

“I’d rather hear it from you, Ian. I’m not quite ready to have another person’s memories in my head again.” Every time I’d sifted people’s memories in the past, they’d stuck with me, as if they were my memories. I didn’t want to remember what had happened from his point of view, seeing the monster I’d become.

“Okay. This is just hard for me.” Ian scratched his head, visibly uncomfortable. “So, you switched. Then everything started to happen quickly. Only, on our side of the veil something else began to happen. Aberto changed. When Eric charged you, something snapped inside of him.”

“What do you mean?”

“One moment he was the Aberto I’ve always known. The reserved Old One that patiently waits until the time is right. The next, he was something more. Something I’ve never seen before. It was as if he were made up of pulsing frenetic energy. I think the thought of you being in danger pushed him over the edge. We told him to wait, that you’d said you wanted to do it on your own, we were only there to intercede if you failed to conquer the darkness.”

“Stop stalling! What happened?”

“Izzy, I don’t know how to explain what my eyes saw. Please let me show you this part, the rest I will explain, I promise.” Ian reached his hand out, questioning.

“Fine.” I clenched my teeth as I reached for his hand, unsure of what I was about to see.

Aberto stood there, surrounded by the ten looking on as I confronted Damali. A motion to the left caught his attention as Eric began to move. Everything stilled as he began to change. Gone was the even tempered mask he wore. He’d become wrath incarnate. Energy surged through him, sparking pathways along his arms as he pushed himself through to the other plane, where I’d been. Vengeance consumed him as he tore into Eric, pulling the soul from his body. Tossing it aside and disappearing through the veil once more.

The fight kept playing out. Unable to stop myself and pull away, I let the memories carry me.

Aberto stood to the left, the energy crackling along his skin as he struggled to keep his word. I could see it all play out as if I were nothing but a mere bystander. With each blow, each strike, Aberto grew more terrifying to behold.