The Soul Seekers: Horizon

by Alyson Noel

  Without hesitation, I do as she says. The two of us standing together in a wall of love and solidarity, with a whisper of hope held tight in our hearts. Waiting for either the sun to rise, or the world to end.

  Either way, we’ll meet it together.

  FORTY-SIX

  DAIRE

  It’s always darkest before the dawn.

  Or at least that’s what I tell myself to explain away the earth rumbling under our feet, the wind lashing our bodies, and the torrent of rain pelting our heads.

  If I’m the cause, if I’m the one manipulating the elements, and there’s no doubt I am, why is it I only seem capable of destruction?

  I grip Dace’s hand tighter. Buoyed by his energy, his love, his willingness to believe in me and my ability to reverse all that’s been done—all the while humming the four songs under my breath. Earth, Air, Water, Fire—songs that came at great risk. Songs that were only revealed after passing their tests.

  Their lyrics connecting me to the elements, in much the same way Dace was once connected to Cade. Each depending on the other for its very existence.

  The tips of my fingers begin to vibrate and thrum, and it’s not long before I realize it’s the result of my contact with Dace. Our combined energy making for a force that’s palpable, alive.

  And suddenly I understand the very truth of our existence. It wasn’t just the twins who were connected—we are all connected. Each and every one of us has a role, a duty, to sustain each other and keep the world balanced.

  This is exactly what Paloma meant when she told me I never walk alone. While she was mostly referring to my ancestors, and a power far greater than I—I now realize it goes so much deeper than I first realized.

  Like the vision I saw in one of the very first dreams that started it all—the moment Dace kissed me and a spark of images blazed through my mind until I finally understood what it was trying to tell me—that I’m an integral part of everything—and everything is an integral part of me.

  The thought filling me with so much joy, I shutter my eyes to keep from crying. Captured by the wonder of how it’s possible for my heart to feel so very full when I’ve lost nearly everything I once held so dear.

  But the truth is, I haven’t lost anything.

  I can feel Paloma beside me, egging me on.

  I can hear Valentina whispering words of encouragement into my ear.

  I can sense Django’s presence all around me, telling me how proud he is of his little girl.

  They’re all here. Every last one of them. And we will do this together.

  “Think from the end,” I tell Dace. “Locate the sun in your mind, and position it high into the sky. Feel its warmth. Revel in its light. Believe in your ability to work a miracle, and merge your soul with that of the earth—the elements—the spirit animals. You have to want this with all your heart—more than you’ve ever wanted anything in your life. And you have to place your full intention on seeing it done. Oh, and, in addition to that, you also might want to use every bit of magick Leftfoot taught you. If we can manage it—there’s no reason we can’t pull this off.”

  My voice continues to soar, carried by the wind, it echoes through the canyon.

  I sing with all I have in me.

  Sing until my voice grows hoarse and scratchy.

  Aware of Dace glowing beside me—his magick returning life to the earth as the harsh red rock beneath our feet gives way to a soft, squishy lawn.

  I can hear Raven call, breaking free of his cage, he lands on my shoulder. His cry soon joined by Paloma’s White Wolf, Django’s Bear, Chay’s Eagle, Valentina’s Raccoon, and many more I can’t immediately recognize.

  All of us joined in solidarity—the desire to restore peace and balance to the worlds.

  And when Dace squeezes my hand, urging me to open my eyes, I’m met with the glorious sight of a bright golden sun rising before us.

  Without my even noticing, at some point during my song, the rain stopped, the earth stilled, the wind died, and dark conceded to light.

  And what the night once disguised as the enemy, the light of day has revealed to be our bedraggled group of assorted friends and family.

  Xotichl leads the way, as Auden and Lita flank either side, and Jennika, Chepi, and Leftfoot bring up the rear.

  All of them filthy, weary, and more radiant than I’ve ever seen them.

  FORTY-SEVEN

  DAIRE

  “Django came.” Jennika looks at me, her eyes wide, as though she can still hardly believe it.

  “You actually saw him? As in, he manifested himself before you?” I ask.

  She smiles, wraps an arm around my waist, and kisses me smack in the middle of my forehead. The move upsetting Raven who moves from a perch on my shoulder to a nearby tree. “Unless I was hallucinating, which is entirely possible . . .”

  “Don’t,” I say. “Don’t doubt your experience. If nothing else, a few visits to Enchantment should’ve taught you that there’s more that remains hidden than seen.”

  She rests her head on my shoulder and sighs. Indulging a moment of silence, before she goes on to say, “Is it possible that one of the worst nights of your life could also turn out to be one of the best?” I look at her, waiting for more, but she just shakes her head, choosing to keep the specifics to herself. “A very long story for another day. Let’s just say it was an amazing reunion. Not only did Django help me to heal Leftfoot and save his life, but he also helped me to save my own. I’m finally ready, Daire. I’m finally ready to stop running and take a chance on building something that may or may not turn out to be permanent, but either way, I’m perfectly okay with it.” I hug her tightly, knowing she’s referring to a future with Harlan, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been rooting for them since the first day I met him.

  “I have so much to tell you, but it can all wait. Just know that I’m so incredibly proud of you. And while I never quite doubted you, I did fear for you.”

  “But that’s your job, right?” I grin. “I mean, it’s not like you’re planning on giving that up just because I saved the three worlds from complete devastation.”

  “Of course not, don’t be silly.” She wipes a finger under my eye, removing a mascara smudge more out of habit than any real belief that it could possibly work. I’m a mess. Filthy in the way only a long hot shower could possibly remedy. Still, the fact that she even tries makes us both laugh.

  “Would you like to touch up my lip gloss too? I’m pretty sure the last of it wore off somewhere between my seventh and eighth demon kill.”

  “I wouldn’t even try.” She laughs. “You look far more radiant than you could ever imagine. Besides, you should probably check in with your friends.” She nods toward the place where Lita stands. “Lita in particular. She’s not doing so well.”

  Without another word, I head in her direction. Pausing briefly by Dace who’s talking with Leftfoot and Chepi.

  “Don’t,” he says, his face bearing the remorse of remembering his acts as the beast. “Please don’t be so forgiving. I don’t deserve it. I nearly killed you—both of you.”

  “But you didn’t,” Chepi says. “I knew you were in there. I never once doubted you.”

  “I did,” Leftfoot says, causing Dace to look away in deep shame. “Until I saw the look in your eyes just after you cut me. The moment I saw your regret, I knew it was an accident.”

  My eyes meet Dace’s, and while they’re a long way from convincing him, at least it’s a start.

  I continue toward Lita, only a handful of steps yawning between us when she turns to me and says, “He left me. Just—left me. Me. Lita Winslow. Can you freaking believe that?”

  “He must’ve had a good reason,” I say. “Axel loves you. He wouldn’t just up and leave unless there was a really good motive driving him to do it.” The words come quickly, easily, though deep down inside I’m not nearly as sure as I claim. Reminded of how Paloma warned of something like this. Said no good would come of their budding
relationship. Turns out, she was right once again.

  “Sure there was a reason.” Lita swipes her palm across her face, collecting a handful of tears she transfers to her dress. “He probably has some shiny chick waiting in the Upperworld. Someone who bleeds gold, or maybe even platinum for all I know. Hard to compete with someone like that. Even for me.”

  “Doubtful.” I place a hand on her shoulder, try to steer her away from self-defeating thoughts. Knowing all too well just how easy it is to get so sucked into that way of thinking, and what a chore it is to find a way out. “Lita, seriously. Anyone could see that what you two shared was real. After all, you’re Axel’s first love, and—”

  “I didn’t say he loved his platinum-bleeding, glowing girl. Maybe he just—” She stops, shakes her head, as though she can’t bear to continue down that path. Plucking the feather from the bodice of her dress, she rolls her eyes and says, “He left me with this. I don’t even know why I keep it. It’s not like it worked.”

  She starts to toss it, but I catch it well before it can reach the ground.

  “Did you make a wish?” I ask.

  She nods. Swipes a hand over her eyes.

  “Then don’t trash it. Allow enough time for the dream to manifest.” I press the feather back into her hand.

  “I did. Believe me I did. I allowed all the time I can possibly spare, and now I’m officially over it. So. Totally. Over it.”

  “You sure about that?” I peer over her shoulder trying to make out the form in the distance.

  “Did you miss the part where I said totally?” She sighs, swipes a finger under each eye, fluffs up her curls, and readjusts the bodice of her dress to better enhance her cleavage. Sometimes Lita wears her beauty like armor—a defense to keep people at a safe distance. But just beneath the glossy veneer is a vulnerable girl who’s terrified of being revealed.

  “Well, that’s too bad.” I shoot her a sympathetic look. “Guess it’s true what they say about timing being everything. Looks like Axel arrived a few seconds too late.”

  At the sound of his name, she spins so fast she’s like a blur of tangled hair, runny mascara, and a black silk gown with a broken strap and severely shredded hem.

  But one look at Axel’s face, and it’s clear that to him, she’s the stuff of dreams.

  And it’s exactly that look of sincere admiration and love that gets Lita’s game back.

  “So, you think you can just ride up on your dark horse like some knight in glowing armor, and I’m supposed to forget you ditched me and left me to fend for myself ?”

  “Lita—please.” Axel slides from Horse’s back, revealing the gorgeous, dark-haired girl perched right behind him.

  The sight of it causing Lita to inhale a sharp breath, her eyes narrowing, hands trembling ever so slightly, she says, “Oh. Oh, I understand. I understand everything now. Well, that’s just great, Axel. That’s really just so nice . . . so sincere of you . . . so . . .” Here yes fill with tears, her features crumple in the unbearable pain of his betrayal. “Whatever,” she mumbles, turning her back, she starts to move away but doesn’t make it very far before Axel grasps her by the arm and hugs her tightly to him.

  “It had to be done.” His voice is tight, face pained. “And I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. But, Lita, please, you’ve got to believe me when I say it wasn’t my choice. It had to happen this way.”

  Lita holds her ground, refuses to melt. “You’re gonna have to do a much better job of explaining. I nearly died out there. More than once.” She presses her palms to his chest, pushes him away, as Axel looks over his shoulder, pleading with the girl to step in and help.

  “This is Zahra.” He nods in her direction as she slides from Horse’s back and moves to join us. “She’s Daire’s spirit guide,” he adds, causing my eyes to grow wide, my throat to go dry, as I take in her swirl of dark curls, her gleaming brown skin, her unearthly irises the same silvery/pink hue as the gown that she wears.

  It makes so much sense I don’t know why I didn’t see it before.

  The girl who tried to stop me from fleeing the Upperworld is my spirit guide.

  “Axel was never meant to be here.” She stands beside him. Her stoic face and regal stature such a sharp contrast to a voice that rings soft, mellifluous, and instantly assuring.

  Though it doesn’t quite work on Lita.

  “So, let him go back already. I mean, I don’t even know why you both bothered to come here. Clearly, that’s what he wants, so why rub my nose in it?” Lita turns her back on both of them and folds her arms across her chest. Her angry stance serving as a thin disguise for her undeniable state of absolute heartbrokenness.

  “I’m afraid it’s too late for Axel to return,” Zahra tells her, but Lita refuses to budge. “From the moment you made your wish on the eagle feather, the deal was sealed.”

  “What?” Lita drops the pretense, whirls on both of them. Her head jerking back and forth between Zahra and Axel. “What are you talking about? What does she mean?” She turns to me as though I might have the slightest idea of what’s truly going on, but I just shrug in response. I’m as clueless as she is.

  “Until the portals were opened, Axel was unable to return to the Upperworld. So, the moment he saw an opening, he seized upon it.”

  “You don’t have to explain it to me. It’s not like I didn’t witness it firsthand.”

  “Well, you say, that, but, as it turns out, there’s a little more to it. At first we all thought he was there to help. With the portals wide open, granting the Richters access, it took us a while to gather our wits and forge a proper response. Though, it wasn’t long before we were able to contain them to this very space, which, to his credit, Axel helped to accomplish. But once things were more or less under control, he confided that his only reason for returning to the Upperworld was to request permission to be permanently released from his duties, his status, so he could permanently live here with you.”

  Lita presses a hand to her chest, centers her gaze on the toe of her severely scuffed boot.

  “To be honest, I thought he was being incredibly foolish, as did most everyone else. I couldn’t imagine why he would choose a life in the Middleworld with all of its inherent pain and difficulties when he could enjoy a much easier existence with us.”

  “And what did you say?” Lita lifts her gaze to meet Axel’s, her expression guarded, though the surge of hope in her voice gives her away.

  “I told her that a life that included you was well worth any difficult or painful moment that might come my way.”

  Lita swallows hard, blinks several times to hold back the tears, but it’s no use.

  “And I told him he was being utterly foolish,” Zahra says, and from the look on her face, her opinion hasn’t changed. “So, we came to a compromise and decided to hold him until you used that feather to wish for his return. We had to ensure you felt the same way about him as he does about you.”

  Lita remains where she is, her bottom lip trembling, cheeks misted with tears.

  “He’s given up his gifts, his magick, to be human. To be with you.” Zahra watches impassively, as Lita, unable to keep her emotions in check, rushes into Axel’s outstretched arms. Not the least bit swayed by their reunion, she shakes her head and says, “This is all fine and good now. But what you all conveniently forget is that she’s only sixteen. She has no idea what she’ll want in a year, never mind for the rest of her life.”

  “Seventeen,” Lita says, burying her face in Axel’s neck. “I had a birthday. I’m sorry you missed it.”

  “The fact is, you’re young. Impressionable. With a teenager’s romantic notion of love. There’s a very good chance you won’t always feel this way once the reality of a long life together sets in.”

  “Zahra—” Axel reluctantly removes himself from Lita’s embrace. “I think we’ve already seen firsthand that none of us can predict the future. Even when the future has been predicted for us, it’s subject to change.
So while I thank you for granting me this wish, it’s time for you to let me enjoy the beginning of my new life with my girl.”

  He slips an arm around Lita’s shoulders and leads her away, and that’s when I notice the most remarkable change I’ve failed to notice until now.

  I mean, sure Axel’s eyes have transitioned from a soft, unearthly shade of lavender to a deeper, more human shade of violet. And yes, his complexion is a lot less pale and translucent now that real human blood flows through his veins. But whereas before his movements used to cast only light, now I watch as the two of them walk together, casting individual shadows.

  Zahra turns to me then, her disapproval beginning to fade. “I’m not here to claim you, if that’s what you think.”

  “You couldn’t if you tried.” I fold my arms across my chest, but more out of fatigue than anything else. She may be a cynic, she may be one of the least romantic persons I’ve ever met, but the truth is, I can’t help but like her. Mostly because she reminds me of the way I used to be before I came to Enchantment. Before I realized the value in things like friends, family, and love.

  “Turns out, I’m glad you fled.” She regards me with an amused gleam in her eye. “In retrospect, I can’t imagine what might’ve become of us if you hadn’t escaped.”

  “But would any of this have happened without my participation?” It’s a question I’ve avoided asking myself.

  “Maybe, maybe not. Though I’m inclined to think it would’ve happened even sooner. Which is why I spent the entire journey trying to come up with a proper way to thank you.”

  “Thank me?” My voice lifts with surprise. That’s pretty much the last thing I was expecting.