LaUnahi , it is okay.”
“Okay?” Okay? How is it okay? Macy stared into Bastian’s eyes allowing the thread of the thoughts she wanted to shout get louder and louder.
First I find out that the Shadows are on the hunt again, and now the Ninth’s father is in the Shadow Prison! I know what you’ll do, Bastian. If the kid’s destiny involves saving his Dad, you as his Watcher will help him!
“Macy.”
I can’t do it Bastian, I can’t face the Shadows. It’s not just that I obviously don’t want to—I can’t! I can’t go there! Her chest constricted.
“Macy we do not yet know the future.”
“Yes, you do!”
“Not that far.”
Dane watched their one-sided conversation with obvious confusion as he continued to rub Areen’s back.
“ LaUnahi , I do not know what is to come; so many factors still need to be sorted out. But I promise, I will protect you. Do you not trust me?”
Macy shuddered and took a deep breath. “I do trust you. I’m just—”
“Frightened.” Bastian finished her thought and she felt her cheeks redden.
“You’re not the only one,” Dane mumbled.
Macy shook her head. She did trust Bastian to protect her, but—
“I need you to focus now.” Bastian looked into her eyes until her breathing resumed a normal pace and relative calm filled her, clearing her thoughts.
She took a shaky breath.
Bastian smiled sadly. “Go and get Tolen—we must protect the Ninth. He has not gone far. Head south-east and you will find him.”
“Why can’t you go get him?” Macy’s voice trembled and she clenched her fists.
Bastian raised an eyebrow.
“Fine.” She turned and he grabbed her arm.
“Macy, try to be compassionate. You do not have to like him, but he has done nothing to deserve your animosity. Remember that.”
Macy gritted her teeth and stalked out the door after the Ninth, her hands tingling.
She ran swiftly through the underbrush. The hot desert sun baked everything; heat waves rippled up from the ground. The dirt slowly gave way to clumps of sage, a thicket of willow trees appeared, and the rushing sound of the river met her ears.
She moved into the shade, closed her eyes, and pressed her palms together, focusing on locating Tolen’s life force by the vibrations he unknowingly gave off.
Her eyes snapped open.
He was fifty feet down river. She turned and ran; the strength building in the air surrounding his life force had her worried.
When she broke through the trees, her knees locked and she skidded silently to a stop.
Tolen knelt in the dirt with his arms wrapped over his head, his body shaking. Occasionally a sob rose above the sound of the river. Suddenly, she no longer saw Tolen, the tall gangly teenager, but someone small and scared, someone like herself at six years old. She knew how it felt to have your life unexpectedly turned upside down; to discover that everything you believed to be real was actually a lie.
As much as she fought against it, a tiny glimmer of compassion rose in her heart and she stepped forward. Bastian did say I didn’t have to like him . . . You can feel sorry for someone without really liking him .
She started to step forward, but paused when the tree beside Tolen dropped a thick branch and wrapped it around him in a sort of protective cocoon.
o o o
Tolen wiped the tears from his face in frustration and patted the branch. “Thank you Ardia.” His mind rushed through what he’d heard and the anger seemed to be boiling his insides. Uncomfortable heat surrounded his heart, and his hands tingled so much it hurt. The trees surrounding him and Ardia swayed gently, but purposefully, as if only waiting for his command to hurt something or someone. He shivered. He had to control the anger. He had to calm down, but he was so confused! He’d wanted to stay and beg them to explain, but as his frustration grew so did the strange power within him, and he knew if he didn’t run then something would happen and he’d end up hurting
“Okay?” Okay? How is it okay? Macy stared into Bastian’s eyes allowing the thread of the thoughts she wanted to shout get louder and louder.
First I find out that the Shadows are on the hunt again, and now the Ninth’s father is in the Shadow Prison! I know what you’ll do, Bastian. If the kid’s destiny involves saving his Dad, you as his Watcher will help him!
“Macy.”
I can’t do it Bastian, I can’t face the Shadows. It’s not just that I obviously don’t want to—I can’t! I can’t go there! Her chest constricted.
“Macy we do not yet know the future.”
“Yes, you do!”
“Not that far.”
Dane watched their one-sided conversation with obvious confusion as he continued to rub Areen’s back.
“ LaUnahi , I do not know what is to come; so many factors still need to be sorted out. But I promise, I will protect you. Do you not trust me?”
Macy shuddered and took a deep breath. “I do trust you. I’m just—”
“Frightened.” Bastian finished her thought and she felt her cheeks redden.
“You’re not the only one,” Dane mumbled.
Macy shook her head. She did trust Bastian to protect her, but—
“I need you to focus now.” Bastian looked into her eyes until her breathing resumed a normal pace and relative calm filled her, clearing her thoughts.
She took a shaky breath.
Bastian smiled sadly. “Go and get Tolen—we must protect the Ninth. He has not gone far. Head south-east and you will find him.”
“Why can’t you go get him?” Macy’s voice trembled and she clenched her fists.
Bastian raised an eyebrow.
“Fine.” She turned and he grabbed her arm.
“Macy, try to be compassionate. You do not have to like him, but he has done nothing to deserve your animosity. Remember that.”
Macy gritted her teeth and stalked out the door after the Ninth, her hands tingling.
She ran swiftly through the underbrush. The hot desert sun baked everything; heat waves rippled up from the ground. The dirt slowly gave way to clumps of sage, a thicket of willow trees appeared, and the rushing sound of the river met her ears.
She moved into the shade, closed her eyes, and pressed her palms together, focusing on locating Tolen’s life force by the vibrations he unknowingly gave off.
Her eyes snapped open.
He was fifty feet down river. She turned and ran; the strength building in the air surrounding his life force had her worried.
When she broke through the trees, her knees locked and she skidded silently to a stop.
Tolen knelt in the dirt with his arms wrapped over his head, his body shaking. Occasionally a sob rose above the sound of the river. Suddenly, she no longer saw Tolen, the tall gangly teenager, but someone small and scared, someone like herself at six years old. She knew how it felt to have your life unexpectedly turned upside down; to discover that everything you believed to be real was actually a lie.
As much as she fought against it, a tiny glimmer of compassion rose in her heart and she stepped forward. Bastian did say I didn’t have to like him . . . You can feel sorry for someone without really liking him .
She started to step forward, but paused when the tree beside Tolen dropped a thick branch and wrapped it around him in a sort of protective cocoon.
o o o
Tolen wiped the tears from his face in frustration and patted the branch. “Thank you Ardia.” His mind rushed through what he’d heard and the anger seemed to be boiling his insides. Uncomfortable heat surrounded his heart, and his hands tingled so much it hurt. The trees surrounding him and Ardia swayed gently, but purposefully, as if only waiting for his command to hurt something or someone. He shivered. He had to control the anger. He had to calm down, but he was so confused! He’d wanted to stay and beg them to explain, but as his frustration grew so did the strange power within him, and he knew if he didn’t run then something would happen and he’d end up hurting
Similar Books
