“Okay, I forgive you,” she said as soon as their mouths parted.
“Thank goodness!” He got into his car and shut the door. As soon as he had the engine turned on, he rolled the window down and waved goodbye.
Jena watched him drive away. Her arms were crossed over her front as she tried to keep the feeling of him touching her vivid in her thoughts. She had never even dreamed of feeling this way when she was with Willian. Certainly, this had to mean something special was happening between the two of them.
She went back inside after she could no longer see the car in the driveway or hear its engine. The sound of voices traveled through the foyer from the living room, and she headed in that direction. Her sister was just getting up from the couch when she dropped down in the loveseat across from them. “Where are you going?”
“I thought I’d check to see if Mom left a note by the phone,” she replied and took another step away.
“I already looked. The only message was one on the answering machine from someone named Jasmine,” Jena answered. Her mind was still going over everything Luke had talked about while they had been outside. She was pretty distracted by the idea of starting a relationship of her own choosing. “Behn, do you think it’s okay for me to start seeing Luke?”
“Sure. Why not?”
“Oh, I don’t know…possibly because I’m not from here. Do you really think it’s fair for me to get anything started with him if I don’t ever plan on telling him the truth about our family?”
Juila scowled at her sister and sighed. “We’ve already talked about this Jena. Why are you bringing this up again?”
“I just feel so guilty. It’s almost like I’m leading him on because I know I’m going to go back to Tuala when school’s finished, and I won’t be coming back. How can I let Luke develop feelings for me when I know he can’t go where I’m going? It just isn’t right.”
“We have plenty of relatives who have proven it’s possible. I’m not going to list them all again for you because I doubt you’re even listening anyway.” Juila’s reason for getting up was gone, so she flopped back onto the couch beside Behn. She liked how his hand immediately came to rest on her thigh again.
Jena rolled her eyes at how easily her sister could be distracted. Unless she had a relationship of her own, this could get pretty disgusting rather quickly. Still, her sister’s love life was hardly any reason to get Luke involved in their family drama. She decided to talk to their mom about it. If she ever gets home, she thought to herself sullenly.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
RASA’S EYES REMAINED fastened on the contents of the box. She desperately wanted to reach in and feel its power surge through her body. Even through the box, she felt the power pulsing, which kept the temptation alive in her mind.
Willian jumped up from his chair so he could peer into the box. He had never seen a samara and was desperate to know what they really looked like. His expression was puzzled because somehow he had expected the crystal to be showier or something…more. “It’s just a small skull. Are you sure it’s what you think it is?”
“Oh, yes!” Rasa exclaimed. She looked up at Willian with a gleam in her eyes.
Willian stepped back, unsure of what to think of the change which had come over his old friend and teacher. “Maybe you should put the cover back on,” he suggested warily.
“It actually might be a good idea,” Amanda agreed. “We will need some time and privacy for you to claim your samara. I doubt this is a good time for it. I’ve seen how long it takes for a person to get to know their crystal and you’re going to want at least an entire day devoted to it.”
Rasa sighed with resignation. It was not the answer she wanted to hear, but she could tell it was probably wise to heed Amanda’s wisdom in the matter. After all, her whole family had samaras of their own, so she was clearly the resident expert even though she still remained without one of her own. She picked up the lid and shoved it back into the slot until it clicked shut.
“I’m feeling rather tired after all of the day’s discoveries,” Elder Wilken announced. He levered himself up from his chair and looked around the room and smiled inwardly over the eagerness of this next generation. “I’m going to head up for a quick nap before supper. Rasa, I’m pleased to know you are the one to receive the samara. I couldn’t have picked a better person for it.” He nodded in her direction and then shuffled slowly out of the room.
“You’ll need to store it in a safe place, Rasa, until you can claim it. Until such time, it’s still vulnerable to being stolen,” Amanda pointed out.
“What? Who would dare?” Rasa asked indignantly.
“Oh, I can think of one in particular. Promise me you’ll find it a secure home.” She looked at her watch and gasped in surprise. “I need to be getting back home. Riccan is getting off of work soon, and I wanted to be there before him. Willian, why don’t you go and find Val and let her know it’s time to go.”
Willian nodded his agreement and raced out of the room.
Amanda sighed at his energy and wished she felt as carefree. Belatedly, she realized she should have advised Willian to keep their meeting with Elder Wilken a secret. She promised herself it would happen when she met up with him before they left.
“Who do you think would steal this, Amanda?”
“Lucinden, for one, or any of his minions. There has been an increase in incidents which seem to be pointing back to him.” She paused as she considered the bits of information she had gleaned from various people. “We really should get the group back together to see what everyone has been discovering.”
“I agree. They all need to know about the additional text you found. What did Riccan say about it?”
“He doesn’t even know yet. As I said, I came straight here after I discovered it.”
“You should put it on the group message before we meet so they can think about the possibilities it may hold.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll have Riccan do it tonight. Where do you think you’ll be storing your samara?”
“I’m not sure. Do you have any suggestions?”
“Elder Debbon said he keeps his and Chelesa’s in the Ascension Gate room. He set wards of protection around the room and then additional ones on the two crystals. Do you have the same ability here as well?”
“Yes, I think I can figure something out here. Thanks, Amanda.” She tapped the sides of the box still in her lap and said, “I just want to touch it! Did the others feel the same way when they were near theirs?”
“No, there was a lot of unknown factors for them. You have the advantage of knowing it’ll be okay. Did you check the stone’s aura? Did it match your own birth crystal?”
“Yes, it’s a perfect match. You said the bonding process could take hours. How will I know when it’s complete?”
“I think it’s been a little different for everyone, but plan on scheduling an entire day for it. I’d also advise you have someone around to help you get out of it if it goes on too long. It wouldn’t do for you to starve because you didn’t pay attention to your own needs.”
“Could it really be so bad?”
Amanda nodded solemnly. Having given her final advice, Amanda stood up and said, “I really need to get going. Can you show me the way out? I’m afraid I’d get terribly lost if I had to find my own way.”
Rasa chuckled and said, “It does take some getting used to, doesn’t it?”
They walked across the room, and Amanda asked, “How do you like it here? Are you going to be okay with the new job?”
“I love it. The energy here is amazing. Can’t you feel it, too?”
“I wonder how much of the energy you felt was actually your samara being nearby,” Amanda mused as she pointed at the box resting between Rasa’s hand and side.
“Hmm, I wonder if you could be right. I don’t really know, but it’s been a lot of fun learning how the District is run. I’ve still got a lot to learn and Elder Wilken has been an amazing instruc
tor. Hopefully, he’ll be running the District for many more anons so I can get to know all of the delegates and councilors before it’s my turn to be the Elder.
“You know, it still sounds crazy to hear my name along with the title of Elder. It just feels like a dream. I never thought it would be a possibility, but Jehoban’s plans have been different from my own. When He had me teaching the Elder’s successors’ school, I never thought it was because He was preparing me to become one.”
“I think you’ll do amazing!”
“I hope so!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Willian’s pace had slowed to a walk as his mind reeled with the implications of what he had just witnessed. If the legend Jena had told him about were true, how many other legends were also true? He wished he could access the records back at his home to satisfy his intense curiosity. Speaking of back home, he wondered what other things his parents were keeping from him as well as where they might have hidden their own samaras.
He turned down the corridor to take him to the west wing of the Residence where Ulwin had said Valentina would be meeting with Gevena. His curiosity about the girl paled in comparison with his desire to get answers to the hundreds of questions swirling through his mind. It might be a good time to take Valentina home to meet his parents.
Stopping dead in his tracks, Willian realized everything had been happening so fast; he had yet to tell his parents about his betrothal being dissolved. How would they react? Would they be angry at him for being the cause? Maybe it would be unwise to bring Val home until after he had had a chance to get things smoothed over with his parents.
An employee entered the hallway ahead of him. Willian looked up just in time to make eye contact with the young woman before she curtsied and moved out of his line of sight. The distraction was just enough to get his mind back on the track of locating Valentina so they could head home. He lengthened his steps and began looking out the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of either Valentina or her companion.
By the time he reached the last section of the wing, his vigilance was rewarded as he spotted Valentina sitting with another young girl on the benches out in one of the gardens. He tapped his index finger knuckle on the glass, hoping to catch their attention. His actions were rewarded when Valentina turned her head and waved at him. He saw her stand up, still talking to the other girl.
The two girls walked parallel to where he was standing and disappeared in a doorway out of his line of sight. He had to assume they were on their way to meeting with him, so he remained still. The last door in the hallway opened, and Valentina was the first to step out. Immediately, Willian could feel the shift in the elemy around him. He wondered if she felt it as well.
From the pleased grin on her face, he had to assume she could. His own lips curled into a smile, his eyes only seeing her gracefulness as she moved toward him. When she came close enough for easy conversation, he said, “I hate to bother you both, but Amanda wants to head back home now.”
“It’s alright; we were just finishing today when you came. How was your talk with Elder Wilken?” Valentina asked.
“Very enlightening!” His tone made both girls regard him with interest, and he wished he had thought over his answer before saying anything. He did not really have a good excuse other than the truth, and somehow he thought it might be better left unsaid.
“Anything you want to share?” Gevena asked. She had never met this handsome young man, and she was intrigued about who he might be to warrant a meeting with the Elder.
“Sorry, it was a private matter,” Willian said, regret evident in his tone.
“I’m sorry, Gevena. I should have introduced you. This is my boyfriend, Willian. His father is Elder Debbon. Willian, this is Gevena.”
Willian nodded his head at the introduction and said formally, “It’s my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Gevena. Both Elder Wilken and Rasa have told me how much they have enjoyed having you come to live here with them.”
“Really? Oh, I’m glad. I was afraid I was being a bother to them both.” She smiled sweetly. Her expression changed to one of wonder rather than timidity. She turned to Valentina and asked, “When do you think you can come back? I’ve really enjoyed having someone my age to talk with.”
“Me, too, Gevena.” She looked over to Willian and answered, “I’m not sure since it’d be up to Willian or Mrs. Stel to bring me. I don’t know how to operate a telepod or even how to get here, for that matter.”
Taking the hint, Willian answered, “We’ll see what we can do about borrowing the telepod a couple more times this week while we’re on break from school. I can arrange for a message to be sent to Rasa to let you know, okay?”
“Thanks, Willian. I’ll look forward to it.” She clasped her hands in front of her tightly, nervous about being in the company of the boy who would one day be an Elder. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to walk back with you.”
“Sure,” Willian replied happily. He wanted to get to know this girl who had captured Valentina’s interest. “How have you been getting along here? Is school going okay?”
She took her place next to Willian, wondering what it would be like to have a boyfriend as tall, handsome, and powerful as he. She stammered slightly in her reply since her imagination had run away with her. “Rasa has been amazing! I don’t know why she’d want to bother with me, but I’m glad nonetheless. School is…well, it’s…okay.”
Her experiences so far had been being mostly ignored since she had been placed with younger kids than herself. Because she was several anons behind, she had a lot of catching up to do before she would be placed in classes with kids her own age, if ever. The lessons the others were learning came so easily to them, and she struggled with even the most basic crystal skills. It was rather frustrating.
Interpreting her summation of school correctly, Valentina came up with an idea. “I’ve been learning how to use my birth crystal with Willian’s guidance. Would you like for us to train with you? I could certainly use more practice!”
“Really?” Gevena’s eyes lit up with joy. It would be so much easier to learn alongside someone who knew as little as she did herself. The tutor who Rasa had hired to bring her skills up to speed was continually frustrated with her lack of knowledge, and she dreaded each lesson more than the last.
“Sure, I’d be willing to take you both on,” Willian teased.
“Watch out, or we might gang up on you,” Valentina quipped in return.
“Give it your best shot!” Willian grabbed Valentina’s hand, and they both grinned at the electricity which shot through them.
“What just happened?” Gevena asked as she felt the shift in energy.
“We’re not sure, but it’s something which happens between us,” Valentina answered as she held up their joined hands to indicate their touching.
“That’s pretty awesome. I wish I could find someone who made me feel like that.”
“You never know, maybe Mr. Right is somewhere here in Manzanit.”
“Mr. Right?” Gevena asked inquiringly. She had never heard the peculiar phrase before and had to assume it was a colloquialism from Earth.
“It just means ‘the right person for you,’” Valentina explained, thinking she would have to watch the things she said while in Tuala. This was a small matter, but there would certainly be others which could cause a lot of uncomfortable questions. She would have to pay more attention to her thoughts before she allowed them to be spoken.
“I seriously doubt I’d find anybody to be interested in me once they found out about my past. I wouldn’t blame them, either.”
Willian was quick to head off her self-pity and said, “Our past only prepares us for who we will be in the future; it never defines who we are in the present.”
“Says the son of the First Elder,” scoffed Gevena.
“Trust me; I’ve done my fair share of stupid things, just ask my father. Well, maybe you shouldn’t! But I have learned from every one of them, and I th
ink they all have made me a better person.” Willian could well imagine the stories his father would share about him, and it made him cringe to think of them all.
They had entered the main hall and could see Rasa and Amanda coming toward them. Gevena wished her two new friends could stay longer, maybe even move to the Residence so she could have people who wanted to be around her. The days were torture and the evenings were even worse, except for when she visited with either Elder Wilken or Rasa.
“Ah, here are the kids,” Rasa announced with a grin. She turned to Amanda and said, “They look as though they’ve been enjoying themselves, don’t they?”
Amanda had seen the three kids approaching. Willian and Valentina were holding hands while Gevena walked beside Willian. She could see the adoring look Gevena gave to Willian and wondered if trouble could be brewing. Shaking her head at such a strange notion, she agreed with Rasa’s opinion. “Yes. I hope Gevena won’t be too sad when we leave.”
“I was wondering if we might be able to come back again this week, Mrs. Stel,” Valentina asked.
“Sure, I don’t mind. Rasa?”
“It’s fine with me.”
“We’d need to borrow your telepod again,” Willian piped in.
“Yes, now I suppose you would. We can always coordinate our schedules should something come up. I could also take Riccan to work so I could use his telepod. Don’t worry; we’ll get it figured out.” She could see the look of concern evaporate from Gevena’s face as she realized her only friends could return soon.
“We’re going to practice our birth crystal lessons together,” Valentina added. “I all but forgot how to use my own until Jena and Willian began teaching me again. It’ll be nice to get more practice in.”
“I think you’ll find it easier here in Manzanit rather than back at your home,” Rasa added.
“Really?” Valentina was even more curious than ever to try it out. “Maybe we can come back tomorrow?”
“We’ll see!” Amanda laughed. “Let’s get going. I want to be home before Riccan. I didn’t bother leaving him a note since I never imagined I would be out so late.”
Ascension Vision- The Levels of Ascension Box Set Page 76
