In that moment, I know why the Lacerator is sending me these mental pictures. It’s asking me questions. Do I want to fight Cole? Would I rather escape?
I wish neither.
In reply, I send a picture of the Lacerator entering Thorne, giving him the strength to live and fight. Emotions flow through me. They aren’t my own. They’re coming from the Lacerator.
There’s an electric jolt of excitement.
Chilly waves of caution.
And a thirst for unity.
A realization appears. The Lacerator wants to be part of me. And it desires to join with Thorne as well.
Yet for some reason, it’s not a total fan of this idea.
Normally, I’m the kind of girl who likes to ask a million questions. But Thorne’s skin is turning sickly shade of white. And before me, there’s a space-alien particle monster who needs some encouragement in order to heal Thorne.
I’m just the girl for the job.
In the back of my mind, a nagging suspicion claws at my resolve. Some instinct screams that what’s about to happen is far larger than simply healing Thorne. Connections may be made that can never be undone.
I don’t care. With every corner of my soul, I want only one thing.
Thorne. Alive.
“Do it,” I order the Lacerator.
Fresh images fill my mind. Yellow danger signs. The image of me tottering by a cliff’s edge. Again, the Lacerator’s telling me to be careful. It’s trying to stall me out.
Not a great plan.
The Lacerator steps closer to Cole, its long arms dragging along behind it. Behind it, the Lacerator’s extended talons leave a striped pattern in the dusty floor. All the while, Cole keeps droning on about all of Thorne’s crimes and why he’s about to be executed.
For the record, Cole must be an amazing dad when he’s not out of his head. Because this Cole version is a dick with a capital D.
Thorne’s eyes turn glassy. “Meimi.”
The Lacerator’s emotions flee my soul. Instead, Thorne’s feelings flow through my consciousness.
There’s a warm mantle of gratitude.
A solid undercurrent of love.
And the painful sting of goodbye.
Sweet mother of science. “Goodbye” is not in our vocabulary for today.
“Hey, you!” I march move to the Lacerator. “Whatever you can do, make it happen. Save Thorne.”
It’s the save Thorne part that gets Cole’s attention. He stops blabbing about why Thorne needs to die. Instead, Cole shuts his fat yap and swings around. His icy gaze locks on me. What a sight I must make: a frizzy-haired mess in a dirty pink gown, my face tight with rage. Beside me stands the Lacerator.
“What is this?” asks Cole.
I hitch my thumb toward the Lacerator. “Leave right now and my buddy here won’t turn you into Swiss cheese.”
“You’re Justice’s transcendent. Why waste your time with Thorne?”
That does it.
White-hot rage careens through my soul. I round on the Lacerator. “Heal him! NOW.”
The Lacerator bursts into a cloud of particles that spin around the room, reminding me of a swarm of angry bees. The sentient slam into Thorne’s chest, merging with his body. Instantly, color returns to Thorne’s skin. His bruises fade. Blood dries up and vanishes. He hops to his feet.
“Well done, Meimi,” says Thorne. Even his dimpled smile is back.
Why was the Lacerator so against this? Sheesh.
Cole’s face heats with rage. “What? You can’t share sentient with him.”
“I just did,” I retort. “Get used to it.”
Cole raises his arms. Black particles swirl around his hands. Power fills the air, like the sense of ozone before a lightning strike. Cole is Emperor. Whatever sentient he’s packing, they have to be heavy duty.
Cole’s dark sentient congeal into the shape of a lasso in his grip. With a snap of his wrist, the rope whips out from Cole’s hand.
And it heads in my direction.
Thorne races toward me. “Get down, Meimi!”
There isn’t time. One moment, I’m standing free. The next, cords of rope encircle my throat, cutting off all air. The lasso bites into my skin.
It also calls to my soul.
Inhaling deeply, I act on instinct. In my mind, I send an image of the cords merging with my own sentient.
They instantly obey.
The ropes transform into a haze of particles that encircle my throat. After that, they enter my body. Power thrums through my nervous system. Every cell in my body vibrates with energy.
“How can this be?” Cole staggers backward. “You’re not Umbran. And even if you were, it’s not possible for anyone to take in Crown Sentient.”
I bob my brows up and down. “Oh, I do so love it when people tell me it’s impossible.” An idea hits me. “How about this?”
Sending new images and commands to my sentient, I reach toward Thorne. The particles heed my orders. The sentient rise from my palm, race across the room, and encompass Thorne in what looks like a dust cloud. Particles enter into Thorne’s chest, hands, and mouth. Once again, I sense Thorne’s emotions as if they were my own.
There’s the underlying pulse of strength.
Growing sparks of protective energy.
Flow of cool intelligence and battle plans.
“This isn’t happening,” thunders Cole. “That boy is too weak.”
Thorne cracks his neck. “Maybe you need to expand your definition of what it means to be strong.”
Cole picks up his Winchester again. I reach forward, summoning the sentient to me. The rifle dissolves into particles that fly across the room and land straight against my palm. From there, the Crown Sentient seep directly into my body. Fresh waves of energy flow though me.
“How are you doing that?” asks Cole.
“Leaving is still an option,” I reply.
Cole scowls. “This is all a trick. I don’t need to use sentient to fight you.” Turning, Cole lunges at Thorne. This time, when the Emperor attacks his son, Thorne does more than block the attacks. He hits back.
One hit.
Two.
Three.
With the last blow, Cole goes flying across the room. He lands against the wall, his head slumped forward, unconscious.
I send my sentient the image of what I want them to do. Instantly, they take the form of ropes that bind Cole’s hands and feet. More twist around the Emperor’s head and mouth, preventing him from speaking.
For a long second, I can only stare with my jaw hanging open. “Did we really do it?”
“Looks like,” says Thorne. “I’ve never seen him knocked out before.”
Some small part of me says this is too easy. But I decide that was the same part probably thought it was a bad idea to take in and share all these sentient.
Clearly, that section of my mind doesn’t know so much.
Thorne takes off for me at a run, and I rush to meet him as well. Our bodies press together in the mother of all hugs. Thorne’s hand slides up the side of my torso and neck, ending with a firm grip on my chin.
I know what’s coming next, and I love this idea.
Thorne presses our mouths together. His lips are soft and demanding. The touch of his tongue against mine turns electric. Emotions fly between us.
Jolts of pure joy.
A burn of desire.
The cool wash of gratitude.
We break our kiss. Both our gazes lock on Cole’s unconscious form.
“What happens next?” I ask.
Thorne lets out a long breath. That confirms it. He knows exactly what I’m referring to here.
Cole.
No doubt, this is a question that’s plagued Thorne for years. I would know. Now that my memories are back, I recall that I’ve spent most of my life watching my mother slowly lose her mind. These aren’t easy choices.
What should we do with Cole?
48 Thorne
“Dea
th and distance. Such are the true prices of war.” – Wu Zhao Zetain, The Art of Sentient War
Meimi wants to know what to do with Cole. “It’s a good question,” I say.
“Why do I get the feeling this is a complex situation?”
“Because you’d be right. You should know the true choices here.”
Meimi’s breath hitches. For a few seconds, she stares at Cole. When her gaze meets mine again, my girl is all steely resolve. “Tell me everything.”
“We could kill my father, take all his Crown Sentient, and become joint Emperor and Empress of the Omniverse. That’s how my father got the job.”
“Whoa.” She winces. “The Lacerator tried to warn me against sharing all that sentient. I think that’s what the worry was.”
“Yes, I don’t know what happens next, but things have gotten complicated.”
“Honestly? I’m not a fan of becoming an alien emperor and empress right now.”
“Same here. But I wanted to be honest. And there is another option.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“I could take Cole back to my family’s home at Fort Derringer. That’s on the other side of the planet. Now that I can wield some of my father’s Crown Sentient, maybe I can help him.” I huff out a breath. “I have to try.”
Meimi gently rests her palm against my cheek. “I understand.”
Pure adoration pulses through my veins. This girl.
I sigh. “I should get back then, I suppose.”
My mind races. Truth is, I’d love to take Meimi to Fort Derringer, but it would be a big risk. For my people, knowing transcendents exist would be a major revelation. Then there’s the fact that Meimi and I could be the next emperor and empress—that’s not what people are expecting. And when the unexpected happens, that can end in violence. Just because my family rules, doesn’t mean we’re without enemies.
“I would love to bring you to Fort Derringer one day,” I say solemnly. “But when that happens, I want to be sure you’ll be safe and welcomed. That might take some time.”
“So to be together, we must be apart?” She shakes her head yet smiles. “That sounds like my luck.”
“It won’t be long. Soon you’ll wield your sentient like a pro. We’ll visit each other’s worlds often.” I glance over to Cole. “But that’s the future. Right now, he could wake up any moment. It’s time for us both to go home.”
Just saying those words tears at my soul, but it’s the truth. And as I said before, Meimi always deserves honesty.
“I’m not worried,” says Meimi bravely. “I’ll track you down in no time.”
“Looking forward to it.” Leaning forward, I rest my forehead against hers.
There’s so much I want to tell her in this moment. She’s part of my soul now. Nothing could truly separate us. But the sooner she leaves, the faster I can take care of Cole. And once my father is back, I can return to Meimi. After that, we’ll have even more to celebrate. She and I can share not only sentient, but Crown Sentient! That’s a miracle I never expected.
But it’s one I will always treasure.
49 Meimi
Stepping back, Thorne breaks our embrace. The moment our bodies no longer touch, I miss his warmth and solidity. Miss Edith’s words appear in my mind.
That boy is a keeper.
Yup, Miss Edith totally called it.
Thorne raises his right hand. Silver particles lift from his palm, quickly swirling into a loop. Within seconds, a flat plate of gray hangs in the air between us. “You can just step through that. Punching through is only for when you’re in a hurry.”
My throat tightens with grief. “Right.”
I set my fingers against the silver plate. Last time I used the drift void to travel, it was when I came here in the first place. Back then, I was in a rush. This time, I want to move more slowly. My right arm goes inside. The round of sentient expands. I step in sideways. The weightless feeling I had before returns. It’s as if I’m in zero gravity and not, all at once.
I’m almost through.
Looking back, I search for one last sight of Thorne.
That’s when I see it.
Cole.
He stands behind Thorne, the lines of his face etched deep with fury. How long has that guy been waiting around? And why?
I gasp. This is the same man who planted the fake console to limit Thorne’s powers … and gave Slate a false tool that supposedly shielded us from the Emperor’s sight.
In other words, this is a really sneaky guy.
He planned this entire thing.
Cole quickly figured out he couldn’t fight us with force, so he relied on lies and tricks.
Oh, no.
“Goodbye,” cries Cole. “Enjoy your exile.”
The sentient around me change from silver to red. This is what I’d been worried about before.
An exile void.
Cole is separating me from Thorne.
Forever.
Thorne and I reach for each other just as the void spirals into a loop of crimson particles. After that, it vanishes altogether. My heart shatters.
The next moment, I find myself back on the stage of the Golden Pantheon. Everyone is gone. A few workers sweep up the corners. A spotlight frames my filthy body and dress as I stand on center stage. Frantic, I reach out for any sense of Thorne’s emotions. There’s no connection anymore.
He’s gone.
50 Meimi
Three Weeks Later
I can’t believe it.
It’s eight o’clock and I’m back at the Golden Pantheon building and wearing a fancy dress. I’ve even sitting at the exact same spot where I did at the Liberation Celebration. But that was so three weeks ago. Tonight’s event is very different.
On the main stage, the wall of monitors now reads, Welcome ECHO Academy, Senior Class! Everyone’s here with their parents and loved ones. I have Chloe, Zoe, and their mother at my table. Since they’re both dressed up in blue gowns, the twins are hard to tell apart. You have to look carefully to see the grease stains still on Chloe’s neck. That’s always a dead giveaway.
Beside the twins, their Mom looks like an older version of her daughters, only with gray hair, more laugh lines, and a proud gleam in her eyes.
I slap on my own version of a happy look, but it isn’t easy. I miss Thorne something awful. From the corner of my eye, I keep expecting him to appear, perhaps disguised as another older dude. Or anything. I’m not picky.
Lights flash across the main stage. The monitors change to read, Professor Conway, Headmaster of ECHO Academy. A stooped man with a jumble of white hair ambles onstage. He has drooping jowls, a bulbous nose, and a perpetual smile.
Across the table, Chloe and Zoe watch the stage with rapt attention. I don’t blame them. Attending ECHO Academy is a true honor for anyone.
“ECHO Academy is the foremost institution for scientific learning and research in the world,” declares Professor Conway. “Every year, we welcome the senior class and their families to this special event. It’s our way of congratulating you for reaching your last year of high school.” He raises his bushy gray brows. “And we certainly want to lure you to return here for college as well.”
Conway pauses while the audience chuckles. The professor is the House Master for the Castle, a place that’s arguably the most exclusive dorm on campus. President’s Hope’s nephew, Porter Saint-Clare, is a member.
Speaking of people who run a dorm, Luci and Josiah are seated in the back of the room. After the Hollow’s evidence was reviewed, it was decided that Godwin would spend a very long time in jail. Luci and Josiah then declared that they’d been helping me all along. Vargas has been sent off to enjoy an exciting new career as a guard in Antarctica.
Back to Luci and Josiah. I debated about blowing them in as liars, of course. In the end, I decided that was bad karma. They’re on the other side of campus. No one’s signed up to have them as sponsor parents. Live and let live. Or avoid and hope to be avoided in
return, as the case may be.
Back onstage, Conway clears his throat. The audience quiets. “So this is always one of our most exclusive events,” he declares. “However, this year it is even more special. Our speaker tonight is none other than President Hope!”
The crowd applauds as President Hope walks onstage. I swear, that woman has a collection of white pantsuits and looks fabulous in all of them. “Greetings, faculty, students and family,” begins the president. “It is my honor to personally welcome all of you to your senior year at ECHO Academy. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t call out some of our most exciting new students, namely Meimi Archer, Chloe Fine, and Zoe Fine.”
My eyes almost bug out of my head. What a shocker. I mean, sure we all worked to protect President Hope from Godwin, but it’s not like I hang with the president in my free time or anything. I certainly didn’t expect a shout-out at the welcome dinner.
President Hope delivers one of her hallmark dazzling smiles. “When I taught here, I had the pleasure of the Hollow as my student. Now, I’m thrilled to see a new generation of brilliant minds pass through this prestigious institution.” Personally, I’d been hoping the Hollow would return here to teach, but she has other plans.
There’s more to the ceremony. A choir sings some tunes. More professors get up and talk. I spend the time devouring the free steak dinner and mentally planning out my next invention.
And this one will be a doozy.
There’s nothing like good food and great science to pass the time. Before I know it, the ceremony’s over. People are milling out toward the exits. Chloe, Zoe, and their mother are chatting away at the other side of the table.
I’m debating about getting up to leave when the Hollow slips into the chair beside mine. She looks stunning in a silver gown. The look sets off her implants perfectly. I’d never leave the house in anything else if I were her. We say our hellos, but I didn’t live in a basement with the Hollow for two months and not know she has another reason for stopping by.
Alien Minds: Dimension Drift, Book 1 Page 22
