“It doesn’t matter, we need to get out of here,” I say, gearing up to take us through the waterfall.
More wraiths tumble in, and soon there’s a dozen or so all standing on the water’s edge, screaming at us. One of them gets pushed into the pool by the newcomers, and he flails wildly a few feet in front of us. He gropes at the water, trying to reach out for us—or anything, really.
Without another word, I interlock my arm with Liam’s and drag us both through the chilling waterfall. As we emerge on the other side, I continue dragging us as far back from the wraiths as possible. But when we’ve cleared the other side, my gaze flits to the area surrounding it. Hoards of wraiths linger on every conceivable flat surface as if waiting for an opportunity to entrap us. One of them notices us, suddenly screeching as it makes its way from the cliffside, trying to be the first one closest to us.
“Holy shit—why are there so many of them?” Liam says, his eyes wide.
“You’ve got nowhere to run, you know,” Jake calls from across the lake. “They’ll eventually get to you.”
“Don’t bet on it,” I call back, clenching my jaw.
“If not tonight, there’s always tomorrow,” he says flippantly. “Eventually, you won’t remember shit, and they’ll get to feed off what little coherence remains in your thick skulls. I mean, really—was it so hard to just be nice?”
In the distance, the inklings of sunlight crack the sky, mimicking the same purples swirling in the water beneath us. Can we make it through another night of this? Liam has already lost so much of his memory... and I know there are important details I’m missing, too. If only I could clear my head—or find a way to fix this. There has to be…
“Whoa. Do you see that purple light?” Liam says, looking down into the water. “What’s causing this?”
I glance down, staring at the water and trying to remember what’s causing it.
“It’s a gateway,” I mutter, absently.
“Gateway? To what?”
Wraiths filter in almost single file, crowding around the entire lakeshore, waiting for us to get out of the water. Some of them scream while others stand in an almost dormant, power-saving mode.
“I… don’t remember,” I begin, searching my brain for the answer.
In a flash of insight, I see the Temple of Intermediaries and I suck in a breath.
That’s right… The Intermediaries. They can help us, and this is their gateway.
“I think I can fix this,” I say, turning to Liam and reaching for his hand. “Do you trust me?”
Liam takes my offering but narrows his eyes. “I just met you. I’m not sure yet.”
Running my hand along my forehead, I take a deep breath, trying to recall how to use the portal. I used to have powers—that much I remember—but I don’t have them now. So, how do we… My mind drifts to the last time I went to the Intermediaries. I was hunting something and… I spoke to them about my… What was it?
All of a sudden, as if sucked into a vortex of intense, bright-white light, the ground beneath us falls away. I grope onto Liam’s hand, not wanting to lose contact with him. Then, as quickly as the light flared up, it recedes, dropping us in front of an enormous circular wooden desk.
An old woman stands up, adjusting her purple frames as she does so. Barely tall enough to see over the edge, she smiles as soon when she sees the two of us.
“Ah, Evangeline, Liam. You’re right on time,” she says, walking around from behind the desk.
My eyebrows pull in and I cast a glance at Liam, who looks just as confused as I am. “You were expecting us?” I say, returning my gaze to the woman.
“Of course. I told you I’d let you know when your sword was ready,” she says with a smile.
I shake my head, trying to place her words. “Sword?”
The woman rolls her blue eyes and sighs. “Yes, your sword, dear Guardian. The one you brought to me earlier. It’s ready for you.”
“But I’m not— I think you might be confused,” I say.
She quirks an eyebrow and says, “And yet, I’m not the one who left the house in her birthday suit.”
My face flushes and I glance down. As I do so, she snaps her fingers, and both Liam and I go from naked to fully clothed. A soft, flowery dress covers my skin, and yet I still feel exposed. Liam, on the other hand, is clad in dark denim and a white button-down shirt, making my heart swell. Clothed or not, he always looks good.
Sighing to myself, I straighten my shoulders. “I, um… Are you an Intermediary?”
“The one and only,” the woman grins. “My name is Alda, by the way. I don’t think we exchanged pleasantries last time. Totally my fault.” Extending her hand, I take her offering and give it a shake.
“Oh… well, Alda. I was hoping you could help me—us, actually.”
“Yes, I figured you might,” she nods.
“You did?”
Again, she nods.
I scrunch my face, trying to find the right words to explain how dire this situation really is.
“Eva, come with me a moment,” Alda says, adjusting her purple glasses and tipping her head toward the hallway behind the desk.
I glance over my shoulder.
“Liam, why don’t you have a seat at the table. I think you’ll find some of the books to be of particular interest to you,” Alda says with a twinkle in her eyes. “Do a bit of research, won’t you?”
“Liam, stay here. I’ll be right back. Okay?” I say.
As if in a haze, Liam nods and does what he’s told.
Confused, I narrow my eyes at Alda.
She shrugs. “When in a land of broken consciousness, it helps to have a mission. It keeps the brain from sitting idle and getting worse. Okay, dear, walk with me a moment.” She turns on her heel and meanders away from the table and Liam.
Doing as I’m asked, I follow the gray-haired woman down a hallway of bookshelves. Ancient-looking tomes cover the shelves but are interspersed with knickknacks and other items.
“I don’t understand why—” I begin.
“Your consciousness has been compromised, Evangeline. Many things won’t make sense right now. So you need to listen and listen good,” she says.
“Okay…”
“I’ve been keeping track of your journey. Yours and Liam’s. It is my job, some might say. I understand you’re here to help him regain his memories.”
I nod. “Yes, exactly. We came into contact with some… er…”
“Wraiths,” Alda finishes.
“Yes,” I nod. “It’s taken his mind—we can’t stay there. We’ll end up like them.”
“Yup. You sure would,” she concedes.
“Then you’ll help us?”
Alda’s blue eyes soften. “I wish I could, dear, but it’s not my role in this story.”
“But—”
She holds up a single finger, urging me to stop talking. “However, I am able to give you the tools you need to save yourselves.”
My back stiffens and I lean forward, focusing on her words. “Okay, what do I need to do?”
Alda’s features darken and she pulls her eyebrows in. “You won’t like it, but you have to know it’s the only way.”
Instantly, my heart sinks, but I take a deep breath and wait.
“The two of you cannot stay in Purgatory. It will damn you both to an eternity as lost souls. We can’t have that. But your minds are compromised, which makes this so difficult.”
“Can you help me turn back time?” I ask.
“Unfortunately, no. It would alter prime directives well above either of our pay grades. No, your job, Guardian, is to do your job. Your charge was killed on your watch and he must cross over. Without your guidance, he cannot make it to the Gates,” she says, pursing her lips. “And he must make it to the Gates.”
Shaking my head, I take a step back. “But I’m not a— I don’t have any angelic powers. They stripped them from me.”
Again, Alda raises a finger, shaking it besid
e her cheek and squinting. “Ah, but did they?”
“What are you talking about?” I say, more confused than ever.
“Do you still remember what Guardians require in order to help a charge cross?” she asks, narrowing her gaze.
I take a moment, thinking hard.
“I’d need to open the Gates.”
She nods. “Well, yes. And in order to do that, you need…” Her hand rolls in the air in a flourish.
Scratching at my eyebrow, I push my mind back, trying to remember. Everything is a foggy mess and it’s hard to focus.
“Your sword, my dear. You need your elemental sword. It will do the job it was forged to do,” she finally whispers. “And it just so happens, I have yours, as promised.” As she raises both hands to the sky in front of her, an ornate sword handle appears across her palms.
My tongue slides across my lips, and I take a step forward. “My sword.” I run my fingertips along the hilt, feeling the power and familiarity of it. “But I didn’t think I was allowed… The Guild—”
“The Guild isn’t in charge of everything, Evangeline,” she says, extending her arms out for me to take it.
The moment I lift the sword from her palms, my dress transforms, replaced by the leather armor I’ve worn my whole existence. All of my memories come flooding back to me—every moment from Liam’s childhood, through to our sexual encounter behind the waterfall, and beyond.
I turn my gaze to Alda. “How?” I ask, surprised.
“It’s only temporary, my dear. Use this gift wisely. If you want to see Liam happy, you must convince him to cross over. He won’t know why, or even remember you right now… but you’ll be able to keep your wits about you for the next thirty minutes.”
My mouth drops open and panic wells inside me. “Thirty minutes—that’s all?”
Alda’s face is empathetic, and she places her hand on my shoulder. “It’s as long as I can manage, my dear. It’s not easy to conjure lost consciousness. Now, are you up for this challenge?”
“Do I have a choice?” I whisper, my heart sinking.
She scrunches her face, softly shaking her head. “None that I can think of.”
I bite my lip, thinking though all the ramifications this could bring. “What happens when it’s all said and done? What happens to me?”
Silence fills the expanse between us, and she sighs softly. “Your sacrifice will give him a chance at a new life. You’ll need to find solace in that.”
Chapter 16
A One-Sided Fix
“Oh,” I say, my eyes wide. The pit of my stomach is empty as it churns over. “I see.” I nod to myself as understanding settles in.
This is a one-sided fix.
“If there was any other way…” Alda begins.
I hold up my hand, shaking my head. “No, I understand. This was my doing. It makes sense I should be the one to fix it. Liam shouldn’t have to suffer because I…” I take a deep breath, holding back tears brimming in my eyes.
“I knew you would,” she says, patting my arm. “You’re a good soul, Eva. Your heart is in the right place. Now, we should head back. You won’t want to waste the time you have left.”
My heart clenches and a sob catches in the back of my throat.
Moments. After everything we’ve been through now, all the love we’ve been able to share, that’s all I have left with Liam. In the blink of an eye, he will be gone, and I’ll never see him again.
Silently, tears roll down my cheeks as I halter my sword and turn to follow Alda. Just like the last time I was here, power rolls off the desk, this entire space actually, and permeates through every atom of the temple.
“Liam, doll, how’s your research going?” Alda asks, walking up to the table and patting him on the back.
Liam glances up, a semi-confused expression tugging at his eyes. “I’m—it’s going well. At least, I think it is.”
“Don’t worry, it will all make sense soon,” she says, smiling.
Flitting his eyes between Alda and myself, Liam cocks his head. “I’m sorry—do I know the two of you?”
I swipe at my cheeks, holding my shoulders back and chin up. The soft tissue around his eyes has darkened and his cheeks have lost their color. Even if I wanted to ignore Alda’s help and stay with him, it wouldn’t be long before he was completely lost anyway.
“Liam, I need to talk to you for a moment. Is that okay?” I ask, swallowing back my trepidation. Reaching my hand out for him, he eyes me curiously, but takes my offering.
“I—yes, I suppose that would be okay.” He nods, standing up. “I’m sorry. I feel at a disadvantage here. You know my name, but I can’t seem to—”
“My name is Eva,” I say, trying to smile genuinely.
“Eva,” he repeats, tipping his head as if trying to decide if he likes the sound of it.
“I’ll give you some time alone,” Alda says, casting me a wink. “I’ll be at the desk if you need me.”
I nod in return, not able to use my voice for fear it might crack. With Liam in tow, I lead us down the rows of books and trinkets. I go far past the place where Alda and I stopped and continue until I can no longer see her desk. Natural light cascades in as we reach a small atrium filled with plants, flowers, and birds.
“This is such an unusual building,” Liam says, eyeing the space.
“It is,” I say, nodding. Making my way to a bench in the center, I take a seat and pat the space beside me.
Liam eyes the stone bench and takes a seat. He clasps his hands together and places them in his lap as he looks straight out in front of him.
My insides are screaming to say something, do something, but somehow, I feel locked—lost. Now that we’re here, I don’t know what to say to make any of this easier. What do you say to the love of your life when you’re about to send them to a place where they’ll no longer be able to communicate or be a part of your existence? Especially when he won’t understand it anyway?
How do you say good-bye, knowing it will be forever?
“So…” he finally says, trying to break the silence.
“So…” I repeat.
“Was there something we were meant to discuss?” he asks.
“There is. I just don’t know how to go about saying it.”
“Just start. The words will come,” he says, applying sage advice.
I nod. “You’re right.” Blowing out a puff of air, I lean back and decide to stand before him instead. “You know, this whole thing is so messed up. And I know you’re not going to understand anything I’m about to tell you, but I have to say it. So bear with me, okay?”
Liam’s hazel eyes greet mine, and he tips his eyebrows in a quizzical expression.
My tongue skates across my lower lip and I bring my hands into prayer position as I pace in front of him. “Liam, you don’t remember it, but I love you. And, I think for a brief moment, you loved me too. It might not register now and that’s—well, it’s okay. It is what it is now. But I remember. I remember everything and I need you to know how much our time together has meant to me. I don’t know how long I have in existence—I don’t know what will happen to me when you’re gone, but—” I pause, flicking my gaze back to him as I stop moving. He watches me with wide eyes but doesn’t say a word. “But you and I only have a little time left together,” I whisper.
He narrows his eyes, taking a moment to process my words before finally saying, “Why?”
I bite the inside of my cheek and shake my head. “Because we were never meant to be.”
His dark eyelashes flutter rapidly, as if trying to recall his own memories or maybe figure out what my words even mean. “I don’t understand,” he says.
I shake my head, not wanting to cause more pain and heartache than necessary. Stepping forward, I run my right hand alongside his face, pushing back one of his dark strands of hair from his eyes. “It’s okay. I just needed you to know you are loved… and that being with you—I will cherish it forever.”
; “Are you going somewhere?” he asks, his eyebrows tugging in.
Tears brim in my eyes and I press my lips together to stop the sob welling in the back of my throat. Slowly, I shake my head. “No.” Sliding my right hand to my sword, I wrap it around the hilt.
Liam takes my free hand in his, pressing it against his cheek and closing his eyes. The sob I held back before escapes my lips and suddenly, I can’t breathe. Losing him is hard enough but being the one to send him on to heaven is unbearable. I’ve crossed over so many souls, both good and bad. But not once has the concept been this much of a struggle.
“I’ve told you—” Alda’s voice echos across the temple’s space. “—there’s nothing I can do for you. Your destiny is locked, my dear. It’s best if you just accept what is and just accept the inevitable.”
The urgency in her voice pulls me back from the task at hand and I step around Liam, trying to get a better idea of who she’s talking to. But it’s no use, we’re beyond visual distance.
“Come on, I think we better check on Alda,” I say, leaving the sword at my side and walking back the way we’d originated from.
Liam stands up, following after me.
“There has to be something…” the voice of the other person says, reaching us in quiet bursts.
“You are right where you should be, Jacob. Take a beat and have some damn patience for once. There’s nothing I can do for you,” Alda says, her voice firm.
As we round the corner, I gasp. “You—again. Why can’t we seem to shake you?”
Jake shifts his desperate glare from Alda to us, then takes a step back. “I knew it. I knew the two of you were here. Goddamn minions anyway. Guess I’ll have to do the job myself.” He shifts from his location behind the desk, rounding the corner and coming at both of us.
Surprised, I hold out an arm, pushing Liam behind me. “Jake—you better think long and hard about whatever you’re about to do,” I warn, tipping my head slightly to the side.
“If it wasn’t for the two of you, I’d still be happy, doing what I want—who I want. But no…” he says, fists clenched by his side. Baring his teeth, his turquoise eyes flash with an intensity only a demon can muster.
The Chronicles of the 8th Dimension - Limited Edition Box Set (4 Books): A Supernatural Thriller Box Set Page 62
