Cassidy slams into Braham, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his chest.
“I thought I lost you,” she whispers. “I heard you—I thought I heard you, but you weren’t anywhere. I thought—”
Her voice tapers off and her shoulders bob up and down with the sounds of her sobs.
Braham holds still, lowering his head to the top of hers and wrapping his free arm around her waist.
“I’m so sorry, Cass. I… I never should have given you so much crap over the years. Gods, I love you so much,” he says, his voice gruff. “I hope you know that.”
“I don’t understand,” she says, lifting her head to look him in the eye. “Who’s this? What’s going on here? Why does it sound like you’re trying to say good-bye?”
“Babe, I don’t have much time…” Braham begins.
Cassidy’s aura immediately goes on the defensive, and she turns her cold stare to me.
“What is going on?” she repeats. “You can’t go. You…I just got you back. Braham, I looked for hours, trying to find you. I thought you’d been killed.”
Braham swallows hard. “I need you to keep moving. Don’t stay here on the interstate any longer. Find a way out. Continue over the border the way we’d talked about, and I’ll find you.”
Her head quakes from side to side and juts out her chin defiantly. “I’m not leaving without you.”
“Cass, you have to. I can’t explain what’s going on—if I could, I would—but it still doesn’t make a helluva lot of sense to me either. All I know is, in order to protect you, I have to go for a while. If there was any other way, I’d take it. Trust me. Please—please, just head north and I’ll be there soon,” he sighs, taking her face in his hands. The movement pulls me along with him, but I’m able to maintain my connection.
“You’re scaring me, Braham. This isn’t funny.”
He presses his lips tight and exhales slowly through his nose. “I’m not trying to be funny.”
“Cassidy, your husband is very important to the fate of the universe,” I say, trying to gift some of my thoughts and lessons to her.
From my mind, I push ideas, images, and anything else I know about the fate of everything to her. For a moment, she looks confused, but she turns to face me.
“Who are you?” she asks.
“This is my friend, Gabe,” Braham offers. “He’s… more than meets the eye.”
She blinks rapidly, then turns to me. “I just—did you just—?”
I tip my chin in return.
“Look, Cass, this is important. Please, please, trust me. I can’t do what I need to do if I think you and the baby—”
Cassidy inhales sharply, returning her piercing eyes to Braham, “How? How did you know we’re pregnant? I haven’t even figured out the best way to tell you.”
Braham sighs heavily at the confirmation. He looks over his shoulder at me, then back to her.
“It’s a long story, and I will tell you all about it as soon as I can,” he whispers. “I promise.”
The reality around us begins to flicker, and I sense my hold on Braham starting to dissipate. As much as I’d love to be able to alter reality indefinitely, it doesn’t work that way. At some point, the one calling you home always wins.
“Braham,” I warn, “time is running out.”
He throws me another glance and swallows hard. Beneath his eyelids, tears threaten to spill over, and he turns back to his wife.
“Look, love. Be careful. I don’t know how long this will take, and I need you to be safe. Head north on foot and find a way to get the rest of the way there. Steal a car if you have to, just get there quickly,” he says, pressing his lips to hers.
She whimpers softly under his kiss and as they separate, her cheeks are stained with fresh tears.
“Don’t cry, Cass. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Please, don’t lie to me,” she whispers, shaking her head.
“I’m—I’m not,” he whispers.
Cassidy presses her lips together, but her chin still quivers.
“I can’t do this without you. I can’t be a single mom. Braham, what you’re saying—it’s crazy.”
“I thought so too, I did,” Braham says. “But Cassidy, I can’t even begin to explain everything that’s happened over these past few hours. Something big is coming for us, and I owe it to you and our son to ensure there’s a world left for us.”
“But why you? Why can’t they ask someone else?” she pleads.
Stepping forward, I place my free hand on Cassidy’s shoulder. “This may not make sense now, but no other can take his place. In all the world, in all the manner in which humanity was formed, Braham’s essence was handcrafted to awaken when all else was lost. This universe—this reality you live in—it’s about to vanish unless the Final Five can find a way to save it.”
“Can’t the gods save it?”
“What do you think they’re trying to do?” I say, lowering my eyebrows and allowing the heaviness of my words to sink in. “Salvation sometimes happens when the dominoes begin to topple one at a time.”
Understanding sweeps across her features, and she lowers her chin.
Again, the world around us flickers in and out.
This time, Braham looks around, clearly having noticed the shift.
“Cass, we have to go. I love you,” he says one last time. “I have always, always loved you.”
Pulling her close, he takes her in his arms. Their tight embrace isn’t enough to keep us in her world, however.
The veil between realities drops, and we’re left standing in the empty street with Braham’s arms outstretched into midair.
“Dammit,” he curses, pulling away from me and rubbing frantically at his eyes.
Dropping my hand to my side, I say, “You did well.”
“Yeah, tell that to my wife,” Braham mutters, walking away.
“Things may seem bleak right now, but believe me, without you they will be far worse.”
“Let’s just get this done. I’ll do whatever you want, whatever I need to in order to get back to Cassidy,” Braham says, taking a deep, centering breath. “She needs me, and I can’t let her down.”
His aura pulses around him, and his entire energy shifts. He’s growing in power, and it won’t be long before he’s fully anchored in his role. I would be surprised if his awakening didn’t fully manifest in the next day or so.
“All right, let’s get back to the sanctuary. Everyone will be very glad to see you,” I say.
“I wouldn’t go that far. It’s not like I made a ton of friends. Pretty sure if nothing else, Thea was relieved to see me gone,” Braham says, tilting his head and suggesting we start walking toward the Corolla.
Turning with him, we begin our voyage back to the little green car.
“Actually, she was more upset that you didn’t offer to take her with you,” I laugh.
Braham scrunches his face. “That’s surprising.”
“Isn’t everything about this?”
“Fair point,” he says, bobbing his head.
“At least now we’ll be able to focus on finding the final angelic soul,” I say, unable to mask the term with something less potent. It is what it is, even if it doesn’t make sense to them. Angels don’t overly exist in their former reality. But hopefully, they will by the time all is said and done.
He snickers softly. “Angelic souls. I’m just some guy trying to get back to my wife.”
“If that’s the belief that gets you through this, then carry on. Whether you believe in your role or not isn’t the main thing. It’s finding a way to carry out the mission.”
“Yeah, some mission. Super vague. Save the universe. We are so screwed.”
“All will be revealed,” I whisper. “We just need to have a little faith.”
I don’t know where this is all heading. I don’t presume to have that kind of insight. But what I do know is, greater forces are at play here, and they alw
ays have a plan.
“Sure,” he says dismissively.
“We found you and the others, didn’t we?” I say, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, well, let’s hope lightning strikes and we find this final…whatever you want to call us. And fast.”
“Agreed.”
If we’re successful, there’s no telling how the outcome may reshape the universe. But one thing is for sure; we can’t maintain our current course without ending it all.
Braham reaches the Corolla first, opting for the passenger side as he opens the door and sits down. Sliding in the driver’s seat, I automatically eye the gas gauge. The red light is on from sitting here idling for hours.
“We’ll need to make a stop before we can make it to the sanctuary,” I say, tipping my chin toward the dash.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Braham says, turning to look out the passenger-side window. His jaw clenches and unclenches, but he doesn’t say another word.
After a few moments, I say, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry we couldn’t stay longer.”
“Yeah,” he mutters.
I notice the first sign for our exit up ahead and shift over to the right-hand lane.
“Almost there,” I say, trying to fill the silence spreading between us.
Braham shifts in his seat and turns to me. “Why couldn’t Cass come with us? I mean—couldn’t we pull her through whatever weird… what in Hades did you do again?”
“It was hard enough to be your anchor. I’m not powerful enough to carry a human through the veil. This realm is not meant for them,” I say, choosing my words carefully.
I take the exit on the right, making my way for the closest gas station and hoping there is enough residual reality to fill the car up before things begin to fade again. If it does, we could be stuck walking.
Braham refuses to converse, likely mulling over the recent exchange and trying to come to his own conclusions. I know I would be. If I were to ever lose Morgan the way he’s had to leave Cassidy, I can’t say I’d have it in me to continue this fight. He’s braver than I am.
Wars have been waged for eons, typically over less. Humans think they have cornered the market on them, but wars have existed before humans were a speck in the eye of the universe. Our wars—the kind that rip apart dimensions and put them back together again—those are the ones everyone should really be afraid of.
As I pull into the gas station, the lights remain on, just as if normal human activity were continuing to take place. Pulling into the first stall, I stop at the pump and close my eyes. We exist in this plane, but the processed gasoline may already be in another. I’ll need to conjure enough energy in case I need to syphon it from that reality into ours. Then we can be on our way again.
After a moment, when I feel I’ve recharged enough, I open the driver’s-side door.
“Be right back,” I say, trying to sound cheerful and optimistic. I’m not entirely certain I pull it off, though.
Braham grunts in response.
Once outside, I again close my eyes, calling upon the energies to work in accordance with my will. When I feel I’ve made the connection, I pop open the hatch to the gas tank and start filling the Corolla up. It doesn’t take much, thankfully. I don’t know what I’d do if we had to rely on one of those gas guzzlers that were all the rage a couple of decades ago.
The pump clicks loudly, letting me know its job is complete. I unlatch the gasoline spout and return it to the pump.
Suddenly, a chill races up my spine and I freeze.
Here in purgatory, not many entities are free to wander about, and those that do are generally benign. The others, well…
I turn around, narrowing my focus as I scan the shadows. Nothing moves, no sounds are being made, but I can sense them like a chill wind flashing across my skin during a hot summer’s day.
It’s unnatural—all wrong.
Then, inky, dark tendrils edge out from their hiding spots, shifting the darkness in strange ways.
My heart thumps unevenly in my chest, and I race for the door handle to the car. Flinging it open, I slide into the seat, turn the car on, and hit the accelerator.
Screeching out of the parking lot, I put the pedal down as far as it will go, knowing full well it may not be enough. We should be using our temporal shifts, not wasting time with humanity’s remnants.
“Dammit,” I curse.
“What’s going on?” Braham says, twisting around in his seat. His eyes are wide as he grips the edges.
I don’t have the bandwidth to answer him and maintain my current level of concentration.
“Gabe,” he asks again, “we’re going awfully fast…”
Turning a corner at a speed that would have made Morgan scream, I maintain course with the single objective: make it back to the sanctuary in one piece. Braham is too important…
Suddenly, the car spins sideways, as if an invisible hand has nudged us for the fun of it. Gripping the steering wheel tight, I pull us back on course and floor it again.
Braham’s hands fly up to the ceiling of the vehicle, “What the fuck was that?”
I chance a significant glance and return my eyes to the road. “You’re gonna need to hold on tight and start praying to the gods.”
His face darkens, and he repeats, “What’s going on?”
I swerve out of the path of a flying tree, completely uprooted from its natural location.
Instead of answering, I keep my eyes trained for whatever comes next, because there’s surely going to be more. There’s always more.
I clench my jaw and cast Braham a severe glance.
“The demons have found us.”
11
Morgan
Sleep never comes easily when Gabe isn’t here. Even when I know he’s fine. Heck, even when he’s in the next room.
It’s worse when I know the fate of the universe is at stake. Or things could go sideways.
I don’t understand how I could have let this happen. My gifts should have alerted me to Braham thinking about leaving the sanctuary—or actually slipping out the door. I should have been more aware. I don’t understand…
Guilt suddenly ripples through me.
I was too wrapped up with Gabe. I let my guard down and let my mind drift freely.
Had we not been…
I roll over in bed and look up at the ceiling.
The faint light of a waning moon drifts through the window, reminding me it hasn’t been long since the ritual with Diana and Demetri and yet I’ve found four of the five angels, only to lose one due to my own idiocy.
You gotta love how your mind goes into overdrive on everything you did wrong the second you lie down to get some rest. My eyes flit to the alarm clock on my night stand.
3:02 a.m. Ordinary Earth time.
How long should it take for Gabe to locate Braham and get him back before I really start to get nervous? What if Braham refuses to come with him?
Sighing to myself, I kick off the covers and tug on my sleep shorts. There’s no sense lying in bed. I’ll only continue to dwell in my misery, and no good can come from that. Besides, I’m wide awake anyway.
Tiptoeing down the stairs, I make my way to the modest kitchen at the back of the sanctuary. The entire building resonates with the stillness of a crypt, but it’s still inviting, nonetheless.
May as well have a cup of coffee and a donut while I contemplate existence.
As I round the corner, I’m surprised to find Bea resting belly-up to the breakfast bar.
Pulling up short, my mouth pops open. “Bea—oh. Hi. I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be awake.”
“I thought I might run into you tonight,” Bea chuckles, tapping the stool beside her. “Come, Morgan. Have a seat.”
“Okay.” My lips curve into a smile, but despite my appreciation for Bea, it doesn’t quite reach my eyes. I’m too worried about Gabe and Braham to give myself a moment of peace.
As I take a seat beside her, Bea’s light-blue ey
es watch me intensely. The pull and magnetism she possesses with a simple look is impressive.
“So, got all the kinks worked out, I hope,” Bea says, flashing me a wink.
My face instantly flushes.
“I, uh…”
She pats me on the arm. “Oh, don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’m just trying to lighten the mood. You walked in like you have a dark cloud of doom hovering over your head.”
I swallow hard and shake my head. “It’s that obvious, huh?”
“Pretty much.”
“Yeah, I guess I feel like kind of an idiot about the whole thing. I mean, Braham’s missing now, and it’s all our fault—my fault. I should have been tuned in. I mean, yesterday was a pretty traumatic experience for Braham and Thea, at least. I shoulda…”
Bea casts me a knowing look. “Morgan, did anyone ever tell you ya think too much?”
I let out a soft chuckle.
“Here’s the thing,” she begins. “You might be the one binding us all together, but you’re not the one in control. The orchestra of the universe is at play, and sometimes you have to just resonate with it and allow some of the melodies to unfold the way they’re meant to.”
I tighten my gaze, allowing her words to lead me along.
“So you think this was all a part of the bigger plan?” I whisper, returning my gaze to her watchful eyes.
She shrugs, “Stranger things and all that.”
“It would be nice,” I say, “but it’s sometimes hard to relinquish that control. You’re pretty wise, Bea.”
“Well, you don’t live as long as me and not pick up on a few things,” she chuckles.
“I hope when I’m your age…” I drift off, not sure if I should continue. Partly because I don’t want to offend Bea and partly because I have no idea if I’ll make it to her age. Not with everything that’s going on.
Bea watches me expectantly, and I bite my lip.
“Morgan, do you have any inclinations on where to locate the final angelic being?”
My eyes drift to the formica countertop. “No, not yet. I’m hoping I’ll get more insight soon. When I was guided to each of you, it was like a cord of light sprung from my solar plexus and because of it, I was able to locate your whereabouts. But so far, nothing like that’s happened. I don’t know why.”
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