by Jamie Magee
“RUN!” Silas bellowed. It was a command that I had heard from him a thousand times in the past, one that I always knew meant for me to trust my path, one that said I didn’t have to see the other side to know I would survive - that I would if I believed I could.
There was two feet of flaming water between the first step and me. I tried to just see myself there, but something blocked me. The illusion of a dream, able to do anything, did not work on this level of The Realm.
I had to jump, then I had to climb. The steps were short, and there were thousands of them. The fierce wind not only created flaming waves, it also made me lose my balance. At one point, I crawled up the steep stairway.
I screamed for Draven and Aden, but the wind carried my voice away with it. When I reached the top I saw them locked in a stare, daggers in hand, moving toward each other. I had no time.
I launched myself between them, grasping the dagger in Aden’s hand seconds before it lodged into Draven, seconds before I felt a blade pierce my skin - before I unknowingly drove the blade into Draven.
Draven’s eyes were wide with agony and pain - and betrayal. He thought I’d stopped this because I was too scared of losing him.
“We were fooled,” I said as our legs buckled and we fell to our knees.
I let him see everything that had happened to me. We both knew that Bianca had played us, played into what information we had, that he was seconds away from death - that Silas and Cashton had saved us.
Blue rose petals rained from the sky just before an explosion of light erupted between us, reaching for the heavens. It seemed to strengthen that wall of water, causing the darkness that was pushing against it to sway backward.
The stone on my neck turned white, vibrating my very soul. The light from it wrapped around Draven and me and pulled essence from each of us, then its beaming light shot across the air into the wall of water. That water turned into a blinding light. An overwhelming sense of bliss gripped the air. It was as if souls that I could neither see nor perceive were rejoicing. I could swear I felt my parents. Felt their relief, their absolute bliss.
That wall grew dim again as if the two of us were only a small part of the victory that was needed to open the bridge between the two realities.
Aden was yelling our names as dark energy snaked around the stairs, stabbing him, reaching for us. We all knew we had to stop this, that we had to wake up, but we were in too much pain to move.
Draven and I were bleeding out, and Aden was assaulted with every move he made. It seemed that victory was short-lived.
Electricity webbed through both of our bodies and pulled us against each other, driving those daggers deeper into our core. Something was either trying to capitalize on the fact that we were one or kill us, one of the two.
A second later, Landen appeared at the top of the platform.
“Pull them out slowly,” he said in a forced calm tone.
As if his voice were powerful enough to subdue Mother Nature, the light swarming in and around us subsided, allowing us to slowly pull apart. Our blood pooled, then rushed down the stairs I’d climbed. The skies erupted just as the ocean stilled. One drop. That was all it took. One drop of our combined blood had ceased the raging water below us and brought an eerie calm to the air.
As soon as the blades were out, Landen’s hands were on us, healing the wounds instantly. Most of the pain went away, but I still felt the burn.
Landen took the blades from us. “Wake - end the song,” he said as he vanished.
Draven pulled me up, then gripped Aden, who was behind us. “Now,” he said breathlessly.
A stagnant force pulled us back into reality, and I found myself breathlessly standing on the amp.
Draven stumbled through a few chords as he gripped his side, but then he gained his rhythm back and a second later the song was over.
I grasped my waist, still feeling the burn. In the crowd, I saw the same woman I’d seen on the streets earlier. She was moving her lips, and as she did the ghostly images were risen, now joined with whomever they’d lost - and from the looks of it we’d brought back more than were hoped for.
The only ones I focused on were that little girl and that last woman I’d flung on stage. When they turned into light, I allowed myself to smile.
I glanced to my side to see if Madison was back. She nodded once at me, telling me she was. She looked just as bad as I felt. I wondered where The Realm had taken her, but she wasn’t showing me anything at all right now.
I jumped down and made my way through to the center of the crowd where that woman was.
“Well,” I said when I reached her, “did your daughter make it back?”
The woman glanced at the stage, then to me. “No, not yet - but you have assured me that she has a reason.”
In this woman's image all I could see was a flaming bow and lavender hair.
“If she is on the side of Bianca, do not ask me to help her.”
A ironic smile came to the woman's face. “Always go with your natural intuition. You know my daughter is not evil. Impatient and jealous, yes, but she would never walk with mirrored souls. That girl played you. Give Landen my best,” she said as she turned to leave, disappearing into the crowd.
The producer man was trying to get the crowd’s attention and thank Draven and Aden, but Draven barely bowed before tearing his sound wires and guitar off, then jumping the lights into the crowd. They made a path for him to come to me.
Once in his arms, he lifted me above his head, then lowered me to his lips, kissing me fiercely, not caring if anyone was watching. I returned his eagerness, letting the reality surface that we were seconds away from death. The adrenaline was the only thing balancing me from drifting into his electrifying essence, which was embracing me even tighter than his arms.
The lead singer from the other band took the mic and made a joke about how he would attempt to follow that performance. Draven’s lips left mine then he urged us out of the mass of people.
It was quieter on the side of the house, quiet enough to hear our breaths, which were in rhythm with our hearts.
“It still burns? Is it burning you? Charlie, tell me it’s not!” he said as he stopped to look me over.
“She’s alright,” I heard Cashton say, but his voice was weak. He was leaning against the side of the house with that jar in his hand, tilting it from side to side as he watched the essence within it flow.
Draven wasted no time. He was seeing Cashton and knew exactly what was in that jar.
“Why are you still weak?” I asked, kneeling next to him.
The blue in his eyes was so dim it was easily bleeding into the dark canvas behind them.
“She drained me, pulled from me for hours. That is another reason I didn’t want to lose her soul. I’m sure they would love to get their hands on a piece of me,” he said with a wink.
I glanced at the bottle, then to him. “How do we get it back?”
“I don’t want this back. I just don’t want them to have it.”
“But it’s your soul,” I argued.
“No. It’s just essence. Still dangerous in the wrong hands.”
“We have to make you stronger,” I said, wondering just how I would do that.
“What do I need to do?” Draven asked. “You need Landen?”
Cashton smirked. “I’m sure he’s a little busy.” Cashton said with knowing chuckle.
Right about then, Silas appeared. Draven stood in obvious defense as they both stood face-to-face, looking furious as ever.
“Oh, for Creator’s sake - call it off, mates,” Cashton said with a grunt. “They’re bound now - and guess what, buddy? You’re still alive, so she has compassion for you. All winners today.”
They both looked at Cashton like he was insane.
“I didn’t say you had to like it. Just let it be,” Cashton said, raising one brow. “You’re a smart man, Silas. Tell me you figured out that Xavier does not live life on the same timetable we do. He kn
ew that you did not divide a man in Pompeii, but he planted that idea in your head and pushed that button right when he needed to.”
“I don’t give a damn about Xavier. You know why I’m here.”
“Drowning man,” Cashton said. “I’m going to figure you out, buddy. There has to be a reason you have an identity crisis.”
“I have souls I have to protect, and I have to be alive to do it. That is my identity.” He turned his attention to Draven. “You hurt her – in any way – and this Witness right here,” he said, patting his chest. “Will unbind you and tear you into shreds.”
“Do that,” Draven said with a smirk. “Because if I hurt her, I’ve got no reason to live.”
“He is not going to hurt her. So, truce for now, Silas. I’m more than sure that once you get over your identity crisis, you will see things differently,” Cashton said with a sarcastic smile.
“I don’t know why you keep saying that, and I don’t care. I have a job to do.”
Silas nodded toward Cashton, and as he did a glowing light consumed him. A second later he was standing next to us, looking like he had all the energy in the world.
“Why, thank you,” Cashton said with a nod.
“Didn’t do it for you,” Silas said as he glanced at me.
“Right, then,” Cashton said. “Here you go, mate. Take this with you and guard it. Wouldn’t want a piece of me and my sista floating around, now would we?”
Silas took the glass tube with Bianca’s soul in it before looking at me. “Monroe released a lot of power in The Realm.”
“Is she okay? Why was she there?”
“Not sure on that part, but she is wiped out right now. Probably scared and feeling ashamed.”
“Why would she feel ashamed?”
“Because she would never want to hurt anyone,” Silas sighed. “And Madison would throw her life down for anyone.”
“What happened, Silas?!”
“Madison just got in the way. Her energy was pulled and rearranged. She probably thinks she is at peace, and that’s fine - but those emotions will come back, and she will have to deal with them when they do. Get them to Chara so they can heal.”
“They are going to heal? You’re sure?”
“As long as no one hurts them before they do.” He glanced at Draven. “Madison needs to stay away from anyone who doesn’t have control.”
Draven stepped forward, taking his challenge to fight, but Cashton was in the middle of them.
“No, mate. I think I might feel that punch if you throw it - and I thought we were mates? Let it be.”
Silas let out a deep breath, looked in my direction, then faded from sight.
Cashton glanced at me. “You still have those seven pages?”
I patted my back pocket to be sure, then pulled them out. Warily, Cashton opened the envelope. I could smell the singed paper from where I stood. The look on Cashton’s face was in no way reassuring. He pulled the pages apart. Two of them were singed on the corners, and one had words in a different language written down half the page.
“Your girl’s hurt,” he said.
“Madison?”
Cashton nodded. “Listen, little one, I know you want to rush around this house and fix it, sit her down and make her face her demons - but that is not your place.”
“The hell it isn’t!” I bellowed.
Cashton gripped my shoulders and dipped his head so we were eye-to-eye.
“Only one person can pull her back around, and that is not you. It’s time for a break. Let her be, or your page will burn next.”
“She is not going through whatever happened to her alone!”
“No, she’s not. Let the person who’s meant to help her fill their fate. This is a singe. The story is not over for her. She has to live out her fate in order to heal - and you’re going to let her do that.”
I glanced away.
“You are going to let her do that,” Cashton stated firmly. “I’ve never lied to you, and I’m not going to start now. I’m saving her life by telling you to let her be for now.”
“She tells me she needs space, I’ll give it to her. But if she asks for help, I’m not telling her no.”
“Fair enough,” Cashton said with a nod.
I had just lost that argument. Madison had never openly asked for help in any matter. I doubted she would start now, but that didn’t mean I could not let her know that I was offering said help.
“Alright, then, shall we?” Cashton said, nodding forward, telling us to go somewhere safe.
I clenched my side, still feeling the burn as Draven took my other hand. When we reached the front of the house I saw Monroe on the stairs, crying softly into her hands. Draven let me go so I could comfort her.
“Monroe,” I said breathlessly, trying to get her to look at me so she could see that she was going to be okay, that I was going to keep her safe.
She tightened her hands into a fist, then looked at me with tears streaming down her face.
“I...I didn’t mean to...I’m so sorry,” she said in a whispered cry.
“I know. It’s okay. You are going to be fine. Madison is going to be fine. I promise.”
“I’m fine now,” I heard Madison say.
I glanced back to see her leaning against the Jeep like she was waiting on us to leave.
“She brought me peace,” Madison answered.
“No. I didn’t. Even if I did, you wouldn’t know what that felt like,” Monroe rebutted in a tone that for once reflected her age. She then stood and said, “She has no emotions – none that she is letting surface.”
“And she is going to heal. I healed. Before I met you, I was weak - and it took the right person to heal me,” I promised Monroe, only to get a glare from Madison.
Monroe held a glare as she stared at Madison. She whispered something under her breath, then all at once a bolt of light flashed from her and landed square on Madison’s chest. I watched as the light spider-webbed through her skin. It all happened so fast that neither Draven, Cashton, nor I had a chance to react.
Madison wasn’t hurt. Her eyes were wide, as she seemed to internally evaluate her mental status.
“Compromise,” Monroe bit out.
“What did we just compromise?!” I asked as my eyes raced between them.
“She doesn’t want to feel emotions that she feels she has no right to deal with? Request granted,” Monroe said as she crossed her arms.
“I’m taking you both home,” I said with wide eyes, not sure what they would do to each other next or what they had already been through. All I could see was fire when I looked into their minds. “Where’s the other Jeep?” I asked, wondering where Drake and the others were.
“I’ll go find out,” Draven said, rushing into the house.
Madison was staring at me. I walked slowly to her, not recognizing anything but her image. Her energy was gone, barely visible around her body, and her eyes were placid.
“Was it an accident?” I asked as calmly as I could, knowing that she’d been miserable since the moment we first saw Willow. “Did you purposely lose your emotions? What did Monroe just give back to you?”
“Leave it be,” Cashton said under his breath as he looked her over once. “Never question Monroe’s reasons. She is wise beyond all of our years.”
I glared at Cashton, wishing I could argue that Monroe was fifteen without looking like a fool in front of Madison and Monroe.
“She said it was,” Madison answered, still unable to see Cashton.
“I meant you. Was it an accident that this happened to you? Did you sacrifice a part of yourself?”
“I tried to save Monroe,” Madison said blankly, clearly not caring about the outcome.
As I reached for her arm I saw Austin walking up behind us. He carefully looked over Madison.
“You okay?”
“Better than ever,” she answered before climbing into the Jeep.
“Where is everyone else?” I asked him.
“No goodbyes?” I asked sarcastically, knowing there was a darker reason.
“They had some battle scars, for sure, but they had to get to the palace before Jupiter moved.”
“Are they trying to kill Xavier or something?”
“No. They are trying to make Donalt destroy himself. They think he would be the weakest after what you did tonight, that he would try and escape them – but he would end up wasting away because he was wounded.”
Draven came out of the house with Nana. Evan followed with Aden.
“We have to say goodbye. It’s dangerous here. Clarissa said for us to go to Chara,” Draven directed.
“Are they still fighting?” I gasped.
“Always fighting,” Draven said quietly as his mind showed me images of Drake. I knew Draven had a deep respect for him, and like me he hoped that once this battle was over, Drake could help us save Madison.
Nana came out of the house and encouraged Monroe to come toward us. Once Monroe was in the Jeep, Nana turned to hug me. Evan was saying his goodbyes to Draven and Aden.
“We fly home tomorrow. Let us know you’re okay. I’ll watch after Kara, and everything else,” Nana said to me.
I held in my failing emotions and squeezed her. “Make sure you tell her I love her.”
Nana placed her hands on either side of my face. “Only the strongest souls could move through that wall. She brought you here; both of your parents did. If there is any truth to the visions and myths around you, then you must understand that once she made it through to this side, she fought blindly, even lost her way a time or two - but she made sure that you knew how to do that, that you knew how to fight without seeing the ending or purpose. You will find her again, child, and you will bring balance. Do it for her. Do it for both of your parents, and know that they are watching you, waiting for your victory.”
She glanced at Cashton, who had become rather tense as she spoke. She reached for his arm, which caught him off guard; I was sure he thought he was blocking her.
“She loves you so much, and I know she is happy that you two found each other again.”
Cashton nodded stiffly, daring not to show one emotion.
I held in my tears and hugged her once more. “Love you. I’ll keep the boys safe.”
