Synergy (See #3)(80)

Draven and Aden both looked at me for some kind of answer, but I had none to give them. It was clear Madison was purposely going against the advice of Perodine. I could only hope she had a reason that made sense.

Perodine looked down, then turned to the altar. “Focus your eyes. See energy. See the auras of them. All of you.”

I had no idea how to do that, so I just focused on all of us, patiently waiting for them to tell me to see, for this race to begin.

“Now pull it to you,” Alamos said to Willow. “Imagine it is a sphere right here, one that I can hold.”

Perodine turned from the altar and nodded in our direction. Aden and Madison stepped closer to me. I glanced at Draven as he took his place alongside Willow with Brady and Olivia. I smiled shyly, and he winked at me; he was trying to tell me we’d be fine.

Perodine began to whisper words in a dark chant, and that’s when I saw this sphere of light that they were talking about. For a second I thought maybe I was in The Realm. I’d never seen anyone manifest anything like that; I was in pure awe of this display.

“Clear you mind, child,” Alamos said. At that moment, Perodine tipped the chalice and let the blood fall to the floor. Alamos then released the sphere of energy, and it caught the blood before it reached the ground. It fell further, and when it reached the floor, fire erupted from the sphere, then it turned blue and expanded into a wall of what looked like water.

On this water, I could see The Realm, the base of what you see without intent. I knew they didn't need us anymore. I reached for Aden’s arm. “Lets go,” I whispered.

And with that thought, we were gone.





Chapter Sixteen


Instantly, we were standing in the center of my city of ash. The sun was bright, and the people looked so happy. They were all gathering near a beautiful home, gazing at an open balcony.

“I thought we were over this now? We knew the dream was in the past,” Madison said as she glanced at me.

“Don’t look at me. I didn’t create it. It was the furthest thing from my mind.”

“Someone else did then,” Aden said as he reached for my hand. “Let’s see what they’re gawking at.”

“Why? It could be a trap,” I argued, wanting to change our surroundings immediately.

“Or an answer,” Madison said, agreeing with Aden. She nodded to the balcony. At that moment, I heard a woman scream out, then a baby crying.

“I’m interested,” I mumbled as I thought to move myself to the balcony.

In an instant, I was there, and Madison and Aden were at my side. There was a woman on a massive bed that had just delivered a baby. The midwife said, “It’s a girl.”

I looked closely at the new mother. I recognized her; she was the woman that was my mother when I lived in Pompeii. I saw a joy mixed with a disappointment in her eyes. Curiosity caused me to step forward. We were like ghosts to them, moving through a moment in time, which made it seem even more surreal.

The bed had a canopy over it, and white cotton drapes were lingering around the massive post. As I moved closer, I saw an image of a man on his knees. His head was bowed in what looked like grief, but his image wasn’t solid. It was obvious that these women didn’t see him, that a man wouldn’t have witnessed this birth.

The new mother reached for the baby. “I don’t understand...I dreamed of a son.”

“You’ll have your son one day,” the midwife promised.

At that moment, the man raised his head and I saw Aden. I was sure it was him; the mark of dimples was clear. His eyes were glassed over, and his ghostly image reached to cradle the head of the infant. “This was my place, my war...I’ll find you again, my love,” he said, then he vanished.

I felt my insides fall as I nervously looked at Aden. I gripped my hand around my ring, understanding that Monroe must not have wanted my emotions to be a weakness here that she knew they would distract us all from what we needed to do. Instantly, I found the lack of fear in an undeserved calm. I turned my attention to Aden, and I could see terror in his eyes. He didn’t understand anymore than we did.

Then I heard a laugh, one I knew all too well. The people in the room had frozen in place, and Bianca was standing where the image of Aden had vanished. She walked slowly around the bed, holding Aden’s stare. When she reached him, she tilted her head. “It’s time to let that wall fall. Why didn’t I think of this before?” Before she could touch him, I reached for the side of her head, feeling my hands vibrate with the awesome sound of music. Before I could even conceive the idea to bring light or push music through her, she vanished.

“Are you alright?!” I asked Aden, trying to get him to break out of the cold stare he had with the frozen images.

He broke his stare, but he didn't look at me; instead, his gaze moved over my head. I turned defensively, thinking Bianca had returned, but that’s not who I saw: Silas was standing there, his eyes full of confusion, pain, and betrayal. “Looks like I’ve been worried about the wrong brother,” he said as he swallowed stiffly, then glared at Aden.

I walked briskly to his side. “What?! That was a wicked illusion. Aden is light - don’t threaten him, too. We don’t have time for that. Where are they?”

He didn’t look down at me. I pushed against him to break his uncalled for stare with Aden.