across the floor.
“No,” I heard myself utter.
The next words to run through my head were from Eran.
And don’t be fooled by the Kohlers’ disappearance. They remain a threat.
“No…,” I moaned.
I felt sick, and dizzy, and weak.
Then I was on my knees, heaving for air.
They could have fled , I reasoned. They could have ran and hid. They could come back.
But a feeling deep in the pit of my stomach told me something else had happened, and there was only one way to confirm it.
So I closed my eyes, drew in a deep breath, and fought to calm my mind. Several minutes later I awoke in the Hall of Records. Before my eyes were open, I planted my feet on the ground. From there, I didn’t bother with them.
I expanded my appendages with a jerk and sprang into the air, heading for the scroll that listed the lives of those who died where I had just left. The wind whistled in my ears at my speed and those I passed became a blur as I raced down the length of the hall. I didn’t even notice someone was beside me until he spoke.
“Now, now my darling Magdalene,” Jerod called out, pumping his appendages smoothly and with far more grace than me. “Why the scuttle?”
“I don’t have time, Jerod.”
“No time to tell a dear friend what’s happening?”
I sighed in irritation but it didn’t make him give in. It never did. “I think I’ve just led my enemies to kill my family.”
His head jolted back in shock and, as was typical after he’d learned all he’d needed, he fell away, muttering, “Well then…”
Next, I found Hermina at my side. “Magdalene, can we help?”
“I’m not sure.”
She remained silently with me until I’d pulled the scroll from its pocket.
Then there it was on the scroll before me. My mother’s name and the date of her death, which passed only a few hours ago on earth, were written in bold script.
A sob escaped me and my shoulders caved in.
I found Hermina’s hand on one of them in comfort but didn’t have the will to address her.
How could I look at the messenger who had told me to use my ability for good only to have ended up making it the cause of my family’s demise?
I closed my eyes in pain just as my head began to shake back and forth in shame.
“Magdalene?” Hermina prompted. “Are you all right?”
“No,” I said and opened my eyes.
Finding what little energy I had left, I swiped my finger across that name and waited.
Gradually, Hermina disappeared. The hall disappeared. Jerod and his unnerved staring from afar disappeared.
I was sent over hundreds of others’ heavens until reaching the woman I called mother while on earth.
When my movement ended, I found myself surrounded by snowy peaked mountains. I stood below them, on lush green grass with a wide lake behind me and a small villa directly ahead. It was draped in flowering vines and, without walls, was entirely open to the temperate warm air. The sky was a peach color that cast the same beautiful hue across everything I saw, including the woman standing on the porch gazing at the flowers she had created.
If it weren’t for the calm smile on her face, I’m not sure I could have moved from my spot in her heaven. It was serene, lending me some relief and allowing my appendages the ability to lift me into the air.
My ascent caught her attention and her smile turned to me.
She drew in a breath out of surprise.
When I landed she embraced me, harboring no ill will over what I had done to her.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered into her shoulder. “I’m so sorry…”
When she pulled away she was happy, something I couldn’t fathom. “I’m flattered you came,” she said earnestly.
My eyes widened. “Flattered? How could you be fla…”
Left stunned, I was unable to go on. Didn’t she know what had just happened to her?
“You are Magdalene?” she asked. “A Messenger?”
I nodded and her smile deepened.
“How could I not be in awe?”
I felt myself gawk at her. My face felt numb,
“No,” I heard myself utter.
The next words to run through my head were from Eran.
And don’t be fooled by the Kohlers’ disappearance. They remain a threat.
“No…,” I moaned.
I felt sick, and dizzy, and weak.
Then I was on my knees, heaving for air.
They could have fled , I reasoned. They could have ran and hid. They could come back.
But a feeling deep in the pit of my stomach told me something else had happened, and there was only one way to confirm it.
So I closed my eyes, drew in a deep breath, and fought to calm my mind. Several minutes later I awoke in the Hall of Records. Before my eyes were open, I planted my feet on the ground. From there, I didn’t bother with them.
I expanded my appendages with a jerk and sprang into the air, heading for the scroll that listed the lives of those who died where I had just left. The wind whistled in my ears at my speed and those I passed became a blur as I raced down the length of the hall. I didn’t even notice someone was beside me until he spoke.
“Now, now my darling Magdalene,” Jerod called out, pumping his appendages smoothly and with far more grace than me. “Why the scuttle?”
“I don’t have time, Jerod.”
“No time to tell a dear friend what’s happening?”
I sighed in irritation but it didn’t make him give in. It never did. “I think I’ve just led my enemies to kill my family.”
His head jolted back in shock and, as was typical after he’d learned all he’d needed, he fell away, muttering, “Well then…”
Next, I found Hermina at my side. “Magdalene, can we help?”
“I’m not sure.”
She remained silently with me until I’d pulled the scroll from its pocket.
Then there it was on the scroll before me. My mother’s name and the date of her death, which passed only a few hours ago on earth, were written in bold script.
A sob escaped me and my shoulders caved in.
I found Hermina’s hand on one of them in comfort but didn’t have the will to address her.
How could I look at the messenger who had told me to use my ability for good only to have ended up making it the cause of my family’s demise?
I closed my eyes in pain just as my head began to shake back and forth in shame.
“Magdalene?” Hermina prompted. “Are you all right?”
“No,” I said and opened my eyes.
Finding what little energy I had left, I swiped my finger across that name and waited.
Gradually, Hermina disappeared. The hall disappeared. Jerod and his unnerved staring from afar disappeared.
I was sent over hundreds of others’ heavens until reaching the woman I called mother while on earth.
When my movement ended, I found myself surrounded by snowy peaked mountains. I stood below them, on lush green grass with a wide lake behind me and a small villa directly ahead. It was draped in flowering vines and, without walls, was entirely open to the temperate warm air. The sky was a peach color that cast the same beautiful hue across everything I saw, including the woman standing on the porch gazing at the flowers she had created.
If it weren’t for the calm smile on her face, I’m not sure I could have moved from my spot in her heaven. It was serene, lending me some relief and allowing my appendages the ability to lift me into the air.
My ascent caught her attention and her smile turned to me.
She drew in a breath out of surprise.
When I landed she embraced me, harboring no ill will over what I had done to her.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered into her shoulder. “I’m so sorry…”
When she pulled away she was happy, something I couldn’t fathom. “I’m flattered you came,” she said earnestly.
My eyes widened. “Flattered? How could you be fla…”
Left stunned, I was unable to go on. Didn’t she know what had just happened to her?
“You are Magdalene?” she asked. “A Messenger?”
I nodded and her smile deepened.
“How could I not be in awe?”
I felt myself gawk at her. My face felt numb,
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