See How She Fights (The Chronicles of Izzy #2)(63)

“Be careful,” he said quietly before backing away. “Old One, I need a word.”

“As you wish,” Aberto said, getting out of the car. I just sat in the backseat, staring out the window at the two men. I tried to listen to their conversation but could not make anything out. All I could see was a very angry Kennan looking at a very calm Aberto. Kennan was gesturing with his hands toward me and speaking quickly. I had never seen him so upset. All the while Aberto took it in calmly. He placed a hand on Kennan’s shoulder and turned to look straight in my eyes before speaking to Kennan.

“She is well,” I could hear him say. I don’t know how it happened, but it was almost like when Molly spoke to me in my head, only this time I heard the words with my ears.

“I don’t know what you did to her, but she is different now, Old One. If we come out of this, I want answers. Guard her and keep her. Please,” Kennan said, glancing at me.

“I will answer all when this night is over,” Aberto said, pulling his hand from Kennan’s shoulder severing the connection. I could no longer hear what was being said. I couldn’t even begin to fathom why he’d wanted me to hear that bit of the conversation. They continued in their quiet argument for a moment before Kennan moved toward the group of men assembled and Aberto returned to the car.

I swallowed deeply as he climbed in the backseat with me once more. The car suddenly felt very small. I looked into his clear blue eyes and felt a pull toward him I had not felt before tonight. I shook my head, trying to toss away the feeling.

“What now?” I would ask the rest of the questions later. For now, I had to get in and save the Seers from an eternity between planes.

“Now, you leave your body and end this,” he said calmly. “Lie down.”

“Umm, can’t I just sit up? There isn’t much room for me to lay with you back here.”

“Lay your head upon my lap,” he said, causing me to burst into laughter. “Why do you find this amusing?”

“Sorry, it just sounded like a pickup line. You need to lay your head in my lap so that we can save the day.”

“You are wasting time by being ridiculous. Focus,” he admonished. Somehow, he always managed to make me feel like nothing more than a petulant child. I sighed deeply, sucking up my pride and did as he asked. I laid my head in his lap and let myself drift. I pulled from my body more easily than I had ever done.

**********

“What now?” I asked Aberto. We stood outside the car, looking in at my body. It was odd to see it lying there as if I was just asleep. I was thankful that Aberto had faded slowly so that my head hadn’t dropped to the seat. That should save me from at least one headache. “Should we lock the doors?” I didn’t want some random passerby to have his/her way with my unconscious body. It wasn’t exactly the nicest spot to just leave your body lying around.

“It is already done, Izzy. Now, we must hurry,” Aberto said, grabbing my hand. He did the tunnel-teleport thingy into the building causing my stomach to drop. When we pulled to a stop, we were in a room that resembled one found in the ICU of a hospital. I looked over to see Xavier’s body lying on a bed, hooked up to a ventilator. He was immobile. It seemed so strange to once more be so close to him. I wanted so badly to end this. I moved toward him only to be pulled to a stop by Aberto.

“Patience, Seer. We must draw him from his body for this to work,” he said, moving toward Xavier. I watched as he moved slowly toward his prone body. I looked over to find Molly’s mom checking machines. She looked exactly as she had the last time I had seen her at the lab and my heart broke for Molly. She seemed so sane, so normal, yet here she was. There was no denying she was responsible now.

I turned to see Aberto close his eyes and drop his hands into Xavier’s body. It was as if he was a ghost passing straight through him. When he pulled his hands back out of the body they were clenched around Xavier’s shirt. Xavier’s soul stood there stunned for a moment before he regained his composure.

“Interfering is forbidden, Old One. You know the rules,” Xavier said snidely.

“She is different, Betrayer. You already know this. Besides, I am not the one that will be ending this. She has come for you. Are you prepared to meet the Maker and atone for what you have done? Tell me, are you afraid?” Aberto all but growled. I had never seen him angry, never seen any real emotion pass over him. I stared at the men as they turned to look at me.

“What have you done to her?” Xavier’s voice was filled with shock as he finally took me in. I looked down at myself and noticed I was faintly glowing blue. Not just my marks, but all of me. “What did you do?”

“What I must, as I will always do where she is concerned. This is the end, Betrayer,” Aberto said, slamming Xavier’s soul to the ground. “It is time, Izzy,” he said, looking at my hand where the stylus had suddenly appeared.

Xavier began thrashing against Aberto’s hold, yet Aberto remained immovable. I took a deep breath and tried to remember why I was there.

I moved toward Xavier, thinking of the Seers he had tormented in order to regain his life. No more would he haunt my dreams. No more would he terrorize Seers for his own selfish gain. I would end this tonight. I set the stylus against his arm and began the mark.

Xavier yelled out before looking at Aberto and smiling. Just as I finished the last of the mark he whispered, “It is not even close to over, Old One. It is coming and not even you will be able to protect her.”