All he could do was wait until she came back to herself and watch the branches of the trees and low vegetation sway in the artificially created breezes. His hands shook from the adrenaline rush he was coming down off of and even more the thought of the damage he might have done to her while fighting the Wraith inside her. It killed him to see her this way and he prayed to the Ancients there was a cure for her. If not, he didn’t see how either one of them would survive. She would be forever caged or killed and he would die just from the loss of the woman he loved more than life itself, if the dionic weakness didn’t kill him first.
Hugging her to him, he kissed her soft hair. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the tree trunk. At least Michael and the others weren’t here to see them like this. He could just imagine his Khenti popping a vein seeing his sister covered in blood and him not in much better shape. Plus he needed the time to regroup. Luckily, he wasn’t needed at the battle when the Gate opened. Michael was keeping him updated through the Warrior’s Link. The battle was short lived because the Gate ended up destabilizing and the new weapons Joshua had provided the Guardians Elite had more than stood up to the test.
So, he stayed where he was just breathing and holding Alexandria. The wait seemed forever until Alexandria stopped shaking and she finally opened her eyes to look up at him. Beautiful dark blue eyes the color of the upper atmosphere of the Earth meeting the darkness of space. His Alexandria’s eyes.
Her hand shook when she reached up to touch his face and he could still feel tiny tremors in her fingertips. Sadness was like a permanent scar written in her expression.
Grief dripped from her words when she said, “I’m so sorry, Joshua. I’ll always be yours, but the cure to fight this is going to cost more than what I may have to give. I want to be yours, but…”
Joshua crushed her tightly against him. He couldn’t even think about the unspeakable. Didn’t want even to speak of it.
“I know, Lexi. There just has to be a way.”
****
“Damn it, damn it, damn it!” Alexandria shoved the microscope away from her in frustration and gut-wrenching fear. She shakily stood up and stepped away from the lab counter turning her back on the latest failed experiment with the anti-gene. One hand on her hip and the other against her temple rubbing, she just kept circling back to the Sphinx DNA and how to re-associate it. Several days later and a forced sabbatical from Joshua, she was still no closer to the answer.
The whole cure revolved on what was left of the Sphinx DNA and how to re-associate it. Every combination ended up with the Wraith DNA being destroyed but the Sphinx DNA was lost in the process too. The Wraith DNA bonds were different from the Sphinx bonds and to date, no one could pin point what kept the Sphinx DNA in its powerful configuration. Hell, it had taken Turin forever to figure out how to break the bonds of the Sphinx DNA in his torturous ignorance. Alexandria had no idea how to figure out how to put it back together.
The fact her concentration was shot too didn’t help the situation. Her suppression dosage was up to five vials a day now, she couldn’t keep anything down, and fearing she would harm Joshua again, she refused to stay in his rooms anymore. She had imposed a self-banning from those she loved for fear of killing them. Utilizing the cell she had originally been caged in, she slept there in lock down at night. At least she tried to sleep, mostly being in a semi nightmare state. When she was awake, she stayed in there for most of the day reviewing results and creating matrixes for the next try. The few precious hours she allowed herself to be out were strictly with Warren guarding her so she could mix the genetic materials and anti-gene mixtures.
Brushing at a stray tear, she realized it didn’t matter anyway. Joshua wasn’t around most of the time because of his unending duties to help fight the Wraith. The Gate was constantly opening so he was either fighting or making new weapons or resting. The times he did come to see her she would heal any dionic changes in him and he would watch her in silence while she struggled with the experiments or her inner beast. She would become angry and frustrated and chase him out.
Everyone was exhausted and short tempered. The complex was becoming hell versus home. Poor Stormy was barely keeping up with keeping the Warriors powered up and Alexandria couldn’t even help her with that now. The only thing she could do was heal the damage after each of the Transference rounds.
“We’re helping you and we won’t take no for an answer.”
Alexandria spun around almost jumping out of her skin, save for the fact she recognized Stormy’s voice. Standing next to her was Eleina, her white blond hair pulled back and her arms crossed over her chest in a I’m-not-taking-no for an answer pose.
Alexandria sighed deeply, “You both must be out of your mind. Just being near me could get you killed and you want to work side by side under stressful conditions. You really are sisters to my self-torture.”
Noting Warren was moving up next to her quickly, she pointed at her eyes.
“I’m fine right now. See. I didn’t even throw another hand held computer today.”
With a determined expression, Stormy stepped up and said, “Alexandria, you have done so much for us, healing us, helping the Warriors, being healer to everyone even though you’re suffering. We understand it’s risky and we can keep our presence to your lucid periods, but together we’ve discovered a lot of the mysteries of the ancient scrolls, so surely we can work out a DNA sequence and how to alter it to the appropriate form.”
Stormy smiled impishly, “Besides, I’ve already thrown my attitude with Michael when he said no and he gave in grudgingly, so if you say no, I just pissed him off for nothing.”
Eleina put an arm around Stormy in commiseration. “Yeah, me too. You should have seen Jacob go off the deep end. He understands we want to help you, and he wants nothing more than to see you well again. But, like all Sphinx, he’s so overprotective any thought of a threat to me puts him in a conniption fit.”
Stormy chimed back in, “So you see, Alexandria, you’re stuck with us whether you or your Wraith wants it or not.”
Stormy raised an eyebrow in challenge.
The amusing image of the two women arm-in-arm throwing a united female front made Alexandria smile. The small bit of lightening in her heart lifted her spirit. She put up her hands in surrender.
“Okay, okay. You win. Just remember, I warned you.” As an after-thought she demanded, “Warren, you better be on your toes.”
Alexandria shook her head. “Come on over then. I’ll let you read through my notes.”
She waved the two women over directing them to two chairs by the lab bench. After they sat down, she powered up two hand held computers linked to the main database and handed them one each.
“You’ll see the notations, experiments, and changes I’ve made over the past few days. The matrix is almost there but there’s that something…”
Alexandria held up her hands in frustration. “I don’t know. A something I can’t define. All I can see is a couple more tweaks to the “anti” portion to disassociate the Wraith DNA and destroy it. After that, I’ve put everything into the repair proteins I can think of but it just isn’t working in the experiments. After the Wraith DNA is removed and destroyed, the repair protein goes in and correctly produces the partial links for the Sphinx DNA, but after that, the connections just don’t occur and the cells die.”
Alexandria could see the grave concern in Stormy’s expression when she looked up from the hand held.
When Stormy spoke, it was in a hushed voice, “Which means the person being injected would die.”
Biting at her lip, Alexandria delivered the honest answer, “Yes.”
“Wait one damn minute, “Eleina interjected. “Whether you find the solution or not, you plan on using yourself as a guinea pig to test the effectiveness of an anti-gene that will be used to destroy the abominations Turin is making.”
Stormy gasped and Alexandria slowly nodded. “I have to. Either way we have to destroy the
genetically altered Wraith. They’re more dangerous than the original and I already know the lethality of the anti-gene will work, even if the repair protein doesn’t.”
Jumping up from her chair, Stormy threw herself at Alexandria, hugging her tightly. Alexandria could barely breathe, and Warren appeared to be beside himself with Stormy’s proximity to an unpredictable healer.
“Stormy, you have to let go of me. Warren is going to zap me.”
Pushing away quickly, Stormy returned to her seat. “Warren, she’s fine. I promise I’ll keep my distance. Sheesh.” Rolling her eyes, she returned to scanning the hand held.
Throughout the day, Stormy and Eleina offered Alexandria suggestions and ideas for the matrix’s adjustments. Alexandria took additional notes and incorporated those items which scientifically made sense into the formulas. As the evening got near and the dark presence of the Gate’s approach to opening came nearer, Alexandria put down the hand-held and stretched.
“That’s enough for the day. My concentration is going and I’m going to have to get my medicine and go back to my cage here shortly.”
Alexandria commented sarcastically. “Not to mention the dark energy is aggravating the inner Wraith. I’m sure you two have to get ready for the battle too and don’t need me taking up all your time.”
“It’s okay, Alexandria.” Eleina stood up and stretched too. “The guys are busy in planning and getting some more weapons ready. Joshua’s really doing a great job with the new configurations on the swords for the Guardians Elite.”
Alexandria smiled at the thought of Joshua working at his kiln, hammering out the steel into strong blades, and then his glowing Power strengthening the molecules of the steel into something even stronger than what the Wraith were using for weapons. If only there were a way so everyone could have a break from the battles again. Which brought back to mind the eScrolls.
“Stormy, you had mentioned you made some more headway with the ancient scrolls?” Alexandria inquired.
Excitedly Stormy dove into the new discussion. “Yeah, if you remember, Eleina was helping us with the pages that we did have. Which of course was only three, but she remembered they were from the Pages of Seven and she had studied the first three. The Power Signatures were of the female Priestesses from ancient times and not the Warriors as first thought. Those pages discussed the way to Jump not only between Gates, which Eleina had been doing for years, but of actually Jumping a Gate into oblivion. Which was how she originally got trapped in the fractured Gate. Anyway, when she got her memory back, she realized she had to Jump the partial second Gate.”
Stormy looked at Eleina, “Even though she knew perfectly well the action would have cost her life.”
Alexandria felt like her jaw had dropped. “You didn’t.”
Eleina shrugged her shoulders. “I was going to try, no matter what. I couldn’t have Jacob or anyone else lost to the Gates. Having two Gates, even if the second was only partial, had become too much for the Warriors.”
“Like now, with the increased opening of the one Gate.” Alexandria had to say the words. She knew the feeling. She had started this with her special skills Turin had toyed with and evidently inserted in one or more of his Wraith. She would be the one to destroy the creatures causing this nightmare one way or another.
“Yeah, like now.” Eleina answered softly. With more strength to her tone she continued, “Luckily, Elder Chloe decided to show up and present Jacob with the Fourth Page of the Seven. From the page, Jacob was able to figure out the person Jumping the Gate needed an Anchor, which was him. Even though he was my Anchor, it was still close. We could have both died, so we know there is more to destroying the Gates than Drawing the Power or Jumping the Power.”
Slowly, what needed to be done dawned on Alexandria.
“We have to find the rest of the Pages of Seven and the knowledge they hold of how to destroy the Gate and any new ones which form.”
“You’re more correct than you know, child.”
Alexandria turned to face the newcomer in the medical clinic. Like Stormy and Eleina, Alexandria was surprised to see Elder Chloe who was once again shadowed by Ashlyn. Elder Chloe with her long white hair and strange silver eyes was hunched over in her robes of royal blue. She ambled slowly forward, leaning on her silver handled cane and maintaining a tight grip on the crystal stone handle. Ashlyn was decked out in her dark blue Warrior’s uniform, her right hand and wrist covered with a long blue glove that she kept fiddling with.
Standing up, Alexandria took a couple of steps forward but stopped before she got too close to the Elder. Bowing her head briefly, she greeted, “Elder Chloe, it’s an unexpected pleasure to have you here.”
Elder Chloe ambled closer to her and Alexandria had the strongest urge to step back to protect the woman, but the Elder grasped her hand.
“Child, you’ll not harm me. Never fear. The Wraith within you has no Power over me. My energy would burn it to a crisp, I assure you.”
Alexandria was concerned when the Elder giggled hysterically over the comment but then she calmed and continued. “Yes, you already know where the Fifth Page of Seven is and you must retrieve it.”
Stormy gasped, “Going back there would be suicide. Even a team of Warrior’s would fall on the other side of the Gate. There are too many of them. Besides, Khenti Michael and the other Warriors would never allow anyone to take that kind of risk.”
Letting go of Alexandria’s hand and standing to her full frail height, Elder Chloe slammed her cane on the floor and sternly declared, “Power Keeper, there is no choice in this. Alexandria has been to the far side of darkness and knows where the Page is and how to get there. She will be successful in this quest. There will be no team and only she will go. You powerful female Sphinx will find a way.”
“But Elder. Turin had me so drugged and tortured, I can’t even remember half of what went on in that dimension. And I would really prefer to keep it that way.” Alexandria swallowed, shivering at the thought of recalling her time in hell.
“Plus I still need to find the proper matrix to fix my genetics and…the injection could potentially kill me.”
Alexandria became light-headed with all of the demands being made on her. She grabbed a chair and sat down heavily and had the strongest urge to reach out to Joshua for comfort. Not wanting to disturb him or have him see her degrade again in an hour or so, she refused to allow herself the connection. Her heart broke at the emptiness of not having Joshua’s presence in her, but her actions were for his protection.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see Elder Chloe standing right next to her. “Then time is of the essence, child. You will have to take the plunge and trust in your skills as a healer, as a Warrior, and most importantly as the love of a great Sphinx Warrior. Trust in yourself. Trust in Joshua. All will be revealed…in time.”
Patting her on the shoulder, Elder Chloe turned and slowly tapped her way across medical with a still silent Ashlyn in tow. The elder paused at the door which Ashlyn held open for her. “As far as your memory, Healer, you must go to someone who can find the knowledge for you. Go to Raven.”
Alexandria stood up taking several steps toward the door. She called out, “But Elder…”
“Go to Raven!” The Elder shouted one more time before the door closed behind her and Ashlyn.
The room was deathly silent with the departure of the Elder. Alexandria wished the thoughts in her head would be just as silent, but each one was like a death knell pushing her closer to her own demise. How she was going to survive would have to be a great miracle of the Ancients. First, she had to survive the anti-gene removing the Wraith DNA within her system and get through a probably mind damaging extraction of the knowledge she needed by Raven. If by some miracle she made it through the Truth Finding in one piece, then she would have to cross into the Wraith realm to try and recover the Fifth Page of Seven. So easy. Yeah, right.
Stormy and Eleina must have been going through the same thou
ghts because they were just as silent behind her. Alexandria turned around facing them. She placed her hands in her lab coat pockets hiding the evidence of her shaking.
“Well, I guess we need to dive back into the experiments. Time is of the essence and there isn’t much of it.”
Quietly, her two friends accompanied her back to the lab bench and the many hand held computers and beakers. Together they worked the matrix for the remaining hours of the day and Alexandria combined and recombined the proteins until there wasn’t anything else left to refine. In her mind, any further experiments wouldn’t make any difference. It was time to try it on herself but she wouldn’t tell this to Stormy or Eleina. She didn’t want them worrying about her, trying to stop her, or end up telling their Mates and Joshua. Alexandria was sure the entire process of her genetic make-up being destroyed and re-wired, if she was lucky, would be catastrophic and she didn’t want anyone she cared about around when she went through it.
Looking at the time, she realized there was only about an hour left before her next set of suppressive injections, so whatever she was going to do she needed to do now. Alexandria wanted to inject herself when the inner Wraith was on the verge of surfacing but before Warren had a chance to give her the suppressant.
Hating to lie to them, Alexandria bit her lip and proceeded anyway.
“Well, ladies, I hate to kick you all out, but I need to clean up and then I have to get my suppressant. I’m sure you’ll understand if don’t ask you to stay and witness my… discomfort. Tomorrow we can continue with the experiment portion.”
Stormy and Eleina both came at her at once and hugged her with a strength which took her breath away. Stormy whispered, “Be safe, Alexandria. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Slowly they released her and Eleina added, “Yeah, promise us we’ll see you tomorrow.”
Alexandria smiled sadly knowing there were tears in her eyes ready to spill over. She was sure both of the women knew something was up but wouldn’t task her for the omission. Not knowing what to say, she simply responded, “Ancients willing.”
Sphinx Transformed (The Sphinx Warriors Series Book 3) Page 18
