by Jon Chaisson
*
Poe grunted and lifted his head groggily and looked across the table at Caren. Startled by his sudden movement, she locked eyes with him to make sure he had really regained consciousness. He blinked several times and slowly pushed himself up, aided by Kai. He exhaled deeply, and somehow managed to curl his mouth into a tired smile. He looked as if he’d just woken up from a long, refreshing nap. He looked at her again and nodded.
You’re still here, she heard him say from within. I’m sorry for putting you through this, Karinna.
“Alec?” she croaked, wiping away new tears that had started down her cheeks. How did he learn to speak like that? “What happened?”
“I’m awake,” he said, and took another long, deliberate breath. His voice was quiet but level. “I just needed to step back and take a better look.” He reached forward and took her hand. This was a touch of deep understanding and close friendship, a touch that she would have felt from soulhealers and other Mendaihu…but not from Poe. She didn’t let go, however. She now understood that he had Shenaihu spirit flowing within him, and it was not a reason to shy away. She had known him for too long not to abandon him like that. It was the tender closeness they shared that she had not been aware of until just now.
“We have a mission, Caren,” he said softly. “We have to keep an eye on Denni…”
…because she is the One, Karinna.
Her heart skipped a beat and her stomach hit the floor. “Wh…what?”
She is the One of All Sacred.
“She’s…” Caren let out a breath, trying to speak but no more words coming. Again she tried, and still could not. She even tried to speak within, but found no words, at least no real, concrete words that she could wrap around the immensity of it all. Denni! Denysia. Her little sister…her sister in spirit and in flesh. How could such a young woman, still unsure of the world and of her newfound Mendaihu traits, become a Savior for Meraladians and the human race? How could it even be possible? Yet inside, deep within her own spirit, she knew this to be true. She knew, from the intense bond they shared, from the energies that flowed between them, even now, when the two of them were nearly at opposite ends of the Sprawl. She could sense Denni right now, sitting in a classroom at school, not quite aware of changes that were taking place within her own spirit, yet barely aware that she was being watched over by Caren, and now Poe as well. She felt both relief and gratification that the connection between them was unbreakable.
It was a connection, however, that could possibly be traced by other Soulsensers.
“This is the real reason why you were holding back,” Poe said to Ashan. “It had nothing to do with trusting us.”
“It was for safety more than anything else,” Ashan said. “But now that the both of you are fully aware of the situation, I am afraid others will find out quickly enough. The same people who sensed edha Usarai during the Awakening Ritual can sense the two of you. Even more so, they can sense Denni right now, because of her own Awakening. Hers is continuing as we speak, so we must act fast.”
Oh Goddess… “We’ve got to…” she trailed off, shuddering.
“Caren,” Kai said quietly. “Just say the word.”
“I…” Oh Goddess…Denysia! Denni!
She pushed herself out of the booth, ran past the startled off duty ARU officers at the counter, and dashed out the front doors and back towards Headquarters before she realized she had left the others behind in mid-conversation. She had to get to her sister…how could she have been so blazingly stupid to leave her alone at a time like this? Anyone could sense her now, even the nuhm’ndah…and she would not let them touch her. She would not let them harm her. If she could Lightwalk and fly to her sister’s side, she would at this very second, but she couldn’t, and cursed herself again for leaving her alone. Behind her she could hear a commotion; she could sense Poe and the two Mendaihu behind her, surprised and afraid. They were calling her back, first with their inner voices and then out loud once they spilled out of the diner. Their voices pulled at her, beckoning, reaching frantically for her to return. Kai’s voice was soothing and tender, nearly crowded out by Ashan’s piercing shouts, but Poe’s voice…
…Poe’s voice rumbled like violent thunder and lightning, reverberating throughout her own soul, shaking her down to the bone. His inner voice was so unexpectedly visceral it stopped her cold. She stumbled and nearly fell, veered sickeningly to the left, and came to rest against the cold and rough concrete of the building she’d been passing.
“Goddess…” she exhaled. She looked down at her trembling hands. “What…”
Karinna! he called out. You can’t do this alone!
As she leaned against the wall with one hand, she dropped her head and found herself gasping for air. He was right…she couldn’t watch over Denni alone. She couldn’t watch over her every single moment of her life. She felt the knife-pain of guilt and sadness in her heart, keener and sharper than ever before. She pushed herself up to stand again, her raised hand balled into a fist, and slammed the flat of it against the building in frustration, sending a jolt of pain up her arm. They were right, she couldn’t do this alone. She lifted her head to see Ashan and Kai briskly walking towards her, with Poe just a few steps behind. Poe couldn’t meet her eyes, scowling and turning away instead.
I’m not there for her, she said, fighting back tears.
But you are there in spirit, Poe responded. And that makes all the difference.
Angered, she let out a low growl and glared at him until he looked at her. “How would you know, Alec? Can a simple bond be enough to protect her from being taken or…or killed?”
Ashan started to speak. “That simple bond, Caren, is —”
She waved him away with a quick flash of the arm. “I don’t give a shit, Ashan! We may be bonded, by Light, blood, spirit, whatever, but don’t you get it? I’m…not…there! What if some crazy bastard finds her? What if it was that…whoever it was that killed my parents? What the hell could she do to defend herself? Can you answer me that?”
Faith, Karinna, she heard someone say.
“What?” She leered at the three of them. “Who said that? Who just spoke within me?”
I did, the voice said. I am Ampryss. Have faith, Karinna. Your sister is well protected, my dearest. I am protecting her.
“Am…” Caren shook her head, now more flustered than angry. She turned to the others again. “Okay. Who the hell is Ampryss, and why is she talking to me?”
The two Mendaihu agents paled at the same time.
“Well?” she demanded.
“She’s the Watcher of Trisanda,” Ashan said, visibly humbled by the name. It was the first time she’d ever seen him nearly at a loss for words. “The watcher of the Mendaihu. I think you can rest easy now.”
Caren found Ashan and Kai’s reaction to the name both comforting and disturbing at the same time. She unclenched her fists, drooped her shoulders, and let out a long, slow breath of fear.
My sister, she thought, bewildered. My sister is a goddess.
