A World Apart: Original Souls Part 2

It's risky with Evan and those two goons still creeping around down the hill, but I'll have to make an exception to the law and to their presence. I may not be on duty, but I pulled my llave from out of my back pocket and gazed at the intricate details about it. It's slightly rusted considering all the hard times I've been through with it, but that gave it a bit of character. A gold skeleton key with dark engraved lines moving in every different direction. I remember the day it was cut from a magnum llave, or master key. I thought the engravings on it were supposed to be symbols of the wind, or something lame like that. But the old man at the key shop informed me otherwise. He told me in his monotone voice that they were spells. 'Big-boy spells, boy'. He called me boy when he addressed me, which I hated, but he taught me a valuable lesson that day. That a person holding a llave could open any door as long as they never closed their mind. I had to open my mind to new ideas and release myself of this old creed. Here I come, Julia.

I spoke loudly the word I needed to say to get me where I needed to go. I envisioned the Puente del Cielo and called out to air. "Teletranspotar!"

In an instant, I was gone from the gray and blue plume of smoke that my spell ignited and left behind as I disintegrated to dust and light. I'm sure those goons and Evan saw it when I disappeared. The hauntingly bright dust cloud likely lit up the very late night sky surrounding the Locked Dock, but luckily, there's no way for them to follow me to where I'm headed. The teleportation spell leaves no trail behind. Wielding magik for non-police business is fun. I can't believe I've been enforcing laws against it for years now. The wonders of wielding magik are too great to be kept under wraps, and no one right now knows that better than Julia does.

The Puente del Cielo was free of people when I arrived there. I guess Julia's big display had set the tone for this. I walked over to the railings overlooking all the Worlds below, and noticed some Squadron police tape coiled around it. The bridge of the sky had been cut off to civilians for the short lived investigation. No one could travel freely back and forth any longer. People from visiting Worlds will be stranded in Draconia, and other Worlds that they don't live in. They didn't want any activity disturbing the pending investigation, I suppose. Also, I'm sure the 8ights Council just wanted to use this incident as an excuse to exert and abuse their power. They'll likely turn the issue on its head and use it as propaganda to justify their own jobs. There have been talks lately of change in the air, drastic change. The media simply reports as instructed by the Council, but things have been coming apart lately. Especially where I'm from.

I stood at the gold topped railing, with its silver spiral bars that attached it to the ground. The railing spanned the length of the entire bridge, which was the length of- well, the whole darn planet. I took another peek over and absorbed more of the breath taking view. Seeing the skyline of all eight Worlds from this high waswonderful. The view doesn't allow you to fully see all eight Worlds, but Draconia does sit just beneath this portion of the earth spanning bridge. So as usual, I'm staring at my own blue-eyed kinsman's below. Just above my head, in the sky are blues, yellows, orange, and gold hues streaming through the clouds. They meshed in such a way that it created the picture perfect illusion that nothing was ever wrong with any of these divided nations. Nature is so peaceful, it makes me wonder why its inhabitants don't reflect that tranquil anomaly. It would appear that peace is not in human nature. A working, more so fighting, att.i.tude is what we possess in a higher resolution. I suppose it's all some grand scheme about survival of the fittest. Though as I gaze at this molten skyline high above, overlooking the towns and cities of the Worlds within my eyes' range, I can't help but wonder what they'd all look like without continuous conflict.

The sun was dawning, peeking out through the clouds. I can't believe how quickly the hours were flying by. It felt like only seconds ago Julia was in my arms. But the sight tells me otherwise. A carefree bird flew overhead. Off to start its routine day, likely free of consequence. Unlike the dove in the distance, I am in a very peculiar and dark situation. I have almost no recourse to contact Julia. None I can think of without her Letra de Tesoro.

While pondering, out of the corner of my eye, something caught my sight, grabbing it hard. Something enticingly shining as the sun began its trek across the morning sky. I had to cross the bridge to get over to whatever it is that's catching so much light. I walked away from the gold and silver railing, stepping down off the bra.s.s metal sidewalk and into the cobblestone roads. These roads were especially beautiful in the daylight. Mostly because of the tiny specks of gold and silver pixie dust that sparkled when given attention from the sun's rays. I thought for a second that maybe that's all I had noticed, just the streets shining in the light because of the angling of the sidewalk in proportion to the road. Then it gleamed again. Like a beacon of light guiding me to its place, it began to blink off and on every few seconds. It was in a fixed position on one of the support pillars that rose high above the Puente del Cielo. These support beams for the bridge are made of marble, so this gold little light flickering on it stood out quite a bit. I reached the other sidewalk, and as I stepped up onto the curb, the little gold light suddenly stopped blinking.

I walked over to it, hunched over, and gently rubbed my hand over it. Slowly, I discerned the markings at the center. I realized that it was a keyhole. Just a small little keyhole in the bottom center of this large support pillar for a bridge constructed over one-hundred and fifty years ago. Why? That's the first thought that came to mind. This couldn't have been here when the bridge was built.

Then I started to put the message together, because that message spoke to me. Literally, the keyhole starting turning and the mechanism inside projected a holographic image. The image flickered in front of me, as I was jostled back by the sudden outpour of lights. It uttered a single phrase. "Insert key, please," the computer generated female voice stated firmly.

The video instruction seemed somewhat unnecessary, even redundant. But whoever designed it wanted it to be perfectly clear what was expected of the key holder. Julia was always the biggest micro manager kind. She probably thinks this type of set up is spelled out perfectly. No ambiguity. She didn't like when things weren't absolutely certain. I guess that's why I'm here after all. If she were more optimistic, she would have never broke the law like she did.

The video and computer voice started up again. I got up and began pacing about the bridge's sidewalk in front of it. I wondered what my next move should be. While I thought, I noticed something interesting in the video. I took a closer look at the instructional tape and saw that the key that the computer voice was referring to is a llave. Why would there be an image of a llave going into some random lock? That's not their purpose. They're for wielding magik. They replaced wands decades ago, and keys for doors are an out dated technology. Maybe that keyhole has actually been there since the bridge was built?

After a few more seconds of pacing I started to put it all together. Julia's need for absolute certainty and the llave in the picture. The fact that she chose the Puente del Cielo as her place to create her new World, without me, of course. And lastly, the blinking beacon that lead me over here. Had Julia left a secret message here specifically for me? It would appear so. The video message kept playing over and over again, with the voice asking for a key to be inserted. While I watched the video for the millionth time, I realized the key, the llave being inserted into the lock, it's my llave. It's a hologram replica, but sure enough I recognize all intricate spells engraved on it. I knew Jules wouldn't simply leave me hanging. She wanted me to able to see my son. Perhaps even rethink my decision and position in all of this.

Still, her need to be certain is getting in the way of my initial plan. She wants me to sacrifice my llave in exchange for letting me into her World, where she is all powerful, because she is its creator. Why such a tactic, since she does have absolute power in a world of her design. She must still be weak from using the spell that invoked all this chaos. She wants insurance for my visit. She wants to make sure she has the upper hand in case something goes awry. I can't blame her. She used all that power to create this World and became a fugitive in the process. She wouldn't want it to collapse just as quickly as it came to be.

That's why this act is so very illegal. To create a new World would destroy most, but anyone who could manage it would be a potential threat to the eight Worlds already established. The ma.s.sive power drove all but one of the Great Eight into madness. Even wielders of magik as powerful as they couldn't manage this kind of power. All the wars of the past are because of this simple fact; with great power, comes a great deal of responsibilities. If you neglect those responsibilities, the entire system will collapse on you. That's what happened to the Great Eight, except Aurora. Why would it not happen to Julia too? If Julia can be like Aurora then she just might have a fighting chance. So, if she needs me to come to her defenseless and humble . . . then I guess that's what I'm going to do.

I quickly inserted my llave into the keyhole that still played the instructional recording. I turned the lock that would open an entirely new world of wonder to me. A portal began opening up as the gold locking mechanism shifting inside, like a self-deconstructing maze. The metals inside clicked and clanked against themselves and the entire wall of the pillar opened up from its center. The marble started to diverge in opposing directions. While the wall split into two separate parts, I heard a voice calling from the other side.

"What is the Letra de Tesoro?" the soft but robotic voice inquired. I didn't expect that question, considering Julia hadn't left any clues to what the treasured letters could be.

I shouted back to the woman with the soft robot voice, "I don't have the Letra de Tesoro, I haven't been told what it is!"

"You may not enter without that information, it is forbidden," said the dark figure shrouded in the white and gold lights radiating from the other side of the entrance.

I got angry. I wanted this riddle to be done now. "I don't know the pa.s.s code, but my son's in there, lady, and I need to see him... now!!!" She ignored me, and turned away. I shouted that just before the splitting pillar started to close back up, attempting to reform a single structure.

Without thinking, I crazily jumped into the portal, but some mysterious force started repelling me as soon as I did. With my llave already gone through the lock, I had no way to push back. I was vertically hanging from a grove that was a part of the untwisted locking mechanism. I was halfway inside of a closing wall in the middle of a bridge in the sky, when I finally realized that Julia is smarter than I am. As if me being a cop, and her being a doctor hadn't already said it all. Well, why sell myself sort, I am a specialist in my field of work. Well, I was a specialist. But the only stupid thing about Julia, is that she still thinks that I'm half as intelligent as her.

The dark figure from the other side turned back. "You must let go, sir, or else your hands will be crushed by the resealing of the Pillar of Corinthia."

Tell me something I don't know, lady, I thought to myself. This mystery wind force trying to push me away started to intensify. They really didn't want me in that World without that pa.s.s code. The split pillar was close to reforming and my hands were slipping from the edges. She called this wall, the Pillar of Corinthia. Maybe that's the Letra de Tesoro?

"The Pillar of Corinthia, that's the pa.s.s code ... right?" I yelled to the mystery lady, but she wasn't biting.

"No, you are mistaken," she informed me with audible sadness in her tone. It seemed like she wanted me to get across this boarder.

I had to think. Julia would never put me in this type of situation without all the right pieces to the puzzle. There has to be an easy way to put together a clear picture. What could the Letra de Tesoro possibly be? One of her favorite words or something similar?

"Shut up, Criston, just shut up!" I said to the lady, but she didn't budge. "You're wrong . . . you're an idiot . . . I love you . . . I hate you!" I kept shouting out all the most common things Julia ever said to me. But the lady continued speaking her ominous phrases.

"You are losing time," her composure had returned. "You must say the required phrase or forever be banned from Corinthia," she informed me with less compa.s.sion in her robot voice than earlier. "Use that which was given to you ... Criston," she said with a confusing sense of urgency.

Because of her tone, I looked up from the ground, where my head hung low, trying to keep the winds out my face. I twisted sideways, where I witnessed the beginning of the end of me. Both sides of the wall were creeping up against the edges of my fingernails. I could feel them grinding against my nails. Just a sliver of s.p.a.ce left to see the mysterious lady. She was nearly gone from sight. The wall crept closed very slowly, but wasn't stopping to wait for me to let go. I could see the blood running down my arm as the two edges that opened up inside this pillar started to inch steadily closer, back into one wall. They would crush my fingers whole if I don't come up with the correct pa.s.s code.

The lady told me to use what was given to me. This is my last shot before my fingers are permanently severed from my hands. The sides are too close to let go any longer. I will either be maimed or allowed inside. I cried out in pain the only phrase left I could think of to get me through. The converging walls crushed my fingers as I shouted.

"Insert key . . . please!!!!!"

Chapter 3:.

The Crumbling Walls

March 26, 1002 ~ Nightfall "Wow!" is the only thing I could think to say after the portal sucked me through. I was saved from a bitter fate of living without my fingers. This day, I deem fingers a necessity for getting through life. I don't think I could have managed without them. They burn now, as the blood dries from my debatably insignificant wounds. But-at least I still had them. I can't imagine how people get around without certain limbs. I need my legs, arms, hands and yes, fingers.

Julia really knew her stuff. It was all in the pudding from the start. She didn't miss a beat. I can't believe I was stupid enough to question the audio and video examples.

This is my first look at what Julia's plan entailed. Apparently, she didn't think this all the way through. There isn't much here in this so called paradise. Just a beach looking house a few yards away from a beautiful sh.o.r.eline. The sunset looked just like the sunrise I witnessed a moment ago on the Puente del Cielo. I guess the time frames from her World to the next were a little different. It's not surprising at all really. All the Worlds have different time frames. It's got something to do with the original time of day they were created. Julia created Corinthia at close to sunset on the Puente del Cielo yesterday. When the sun rises on the bridge, then it will be setting in Corinthia and vice versa. A beautiful site, this twilight. The sky's orange and gold hues reflected off the white shutters of the beach house and made this place look perfectly serene. I guess there is some magik here after all. I felt right at home.

Julia stepped through a white porch door with a gray netted screen at its top center. She was wearing a turquoise sun dress that fluttered in the ocean breeze. The dress was nearly the same color as Corinth's eyes. The mix between my Draconian heritage and Julia's La Envidia heritage was to thank for that. Her brown hair was down, and it too was flying around in the wind. A sweet and natural beauty. This was a surprise to me when I first met her. Her people aren't exactly known for being easy going or friendly. She had her moments, but for the most part, I think she's put most of that stereotype to rest.

"You're late!" Julia shouted down to me, with a smile, from the wooden porch. The sea winds m.u.f.fled her voice. She spoke up as much as she could. "Come in off the beach, someone's been dying to see you."

I walked over and as I lifted my leg, putting a dusty black boot on the first white painted wooden step, a bolt of lightning burst out of the door! It flew down the steps and into my arms. It knocked me clear back off the stairs and sent me falling on my back into the sandy beach beneath me. This lightning bolt, or at least what I thought to be lightning, sparked an excited fire in me the likes of which I haven't felt in years.

"Corinth!" I yelled with a huge smile. "You've grown so much!" I couldn't help but shed a few tears. I lifted my now twelve-year-old son into the air and spun him around like a windmill. Corinth was always so short for his age, but his shape seemed a little more elongated as I hugged him tight. "This is the greatest day of my life," I said to him with a kid's joy in my voice.

But he didn't say anything back at first. Not a word. I put him down. Tried to give him a little breathing room, considering he's two years older than the ten year boy I hugged that horrid last night I saw him. He's old enough to carry himself, I suppose.He looked up into my eyes, squinted his own, and then asked a question . . . without moving his lips. I could finally hear that tender voice with the slight stutter again. It asked me;"what's wrong with me, dad?" I looked up to Julia as I put my hands on Corinth's feeble shoulders. By the look in her eyes, I could tell that she was well aware of the situation.

When we got into the house, we told Corinth to wait for us in the living room. He sat there innocently watching cartoons on the flat screen. He loved that mouse and cat one. He laughed every time the cat got whacked in the head with the frying pan. I'm so glad to see him smiling and happy, but most of all safe. Julia really pulled it off.

She decided to start the dreaded conversation, since all I could do was stare at her blankly. "He's telepathic, Cris."

"I noticed," was all I could get out, because hearing her say that struck fear in my heart.

"Are you glad now that I made a move?" she asked arrogantly.

I couldn't let that one slide. She really had her priorities out of order. "You being right isn't what's important, Corinth's health and safety are the only things that should matter."

"I know," she put her head down and grabbed her gla.s.s of iced-tea. She took a steady sip and glanced back up to me. "At least we're no longer blind to the facts," she conceded.

"You're right," I admitted, "he's got a lot of grief ahead of him though." I hung my head low, trying to block out the stories I've heard of psychics driving themselves insane."I can't believe we never saw the signs."

"Were there any signs?" she asked rhetorically. "He never gave off any vibes. He's-such a sweet boy, and magik just isn't his strong suit. In fact, he has always seemed so. . ." hesitating to say what we both knew.

So I said it for her. "Weak."

"Yeah," her shoulders sunk. "He-never seemed like he'd be interested or able to do anything big with magik." And she'd know best. She tried to teach him, despite the law. Even put him on the roof.'A little fear never hurt anyone' she always said. I thought I was supposed to be the hard one, but Julia didn't pitfall into stereotypes easily. She did what she could to make sure her son knew the wonders of magik. But he never got too far, even with his mad mother's zealous encouragement.

"Well, that's the problem with the restriction on magik in Draconia," I said angrily. I was starting to come down a little from this whole situation. One surprise after another, and all this for power over the ma.s.ses. Just senseless anarchy it seems.

"Wow," she appeared genuinely stunned,"I'm a bit surprised to hear you speak like that, Criston."

"Yeah," I started a little softer, "you wouldn't believe what's happen to me since you left me in that hospital bathroom."

She looked down for a second, then brought her head back up to reveal a sly little smile creeping from one side of her mouth to the other. I couldn't believe she was having fun with the thought that I looked like a fool, because of how proactive she was. I loved her more than ever in this moment. The fact that she could manage to have a sense of humor under these stressed circ.u.mstances showed how loving a woman she really is. I was scared and restless, but she was ready to sit down and just be a family again. If only for a little while. Even though I gave her no help in all this, she still wanted me around. She's so strong anyway, I'm not surprised that a hick-up or two couldn't shake her love for the family we've built.

So, instead of talking about the ever-looming fears making their way through both our minds, we decided to take up with Corinth on the couch and watch that cat chase that poor mouse all over creation. We all fell asleep huddled together. Finally back on the same team.

Corinth and I woke up to the smell of food. Bacon, to be more exact. I loved bacon, but Cory, he's obsessed with it. It's definitely in his top five favorite foods. Julia knew how to make him feel like he was home. I was extremely hungry too. I hadn't eaten since I was in the hospital.

I need to put something in my stomach, but I'm so taken by Corinth. He's here with us, no trouble in sight. Just the thought of it is so refreshing. How could I ruin this by trying to take him back? That thought seemed ridiculously selfish. I couldn't rip him from this perfect situation.

We ventured from the living room couch toward the kitchen. We sat down and dug in.

He ate so fast. I knew I couldn't just jump right back into parent mode with him. It would be counterproductive, so I let him have his meal the way he wanted it. He loves milk, so Julia poured a gla.s.s for him while he scooped up eggs with his hand and shoveled them into his mouth. He looked rather frail so it's good he's packing it in like that. His skin was tanned to the T. His green shirt move up and down as he stood up on his chair in the kitchen and sat back down after he retrieved whatever random item he wanted from the far end of the table. He had grown indeed, but he was a bit of a shrimp compared to most boys his age.

Whether it was the pepper, the syrup, or ketchup, he just stood up like an animal on its hind legs to get it. He bent over the table using one hand to support his weight while he reached. I loved seeing it. I missed seeing it. He's never had great table manners. Julia says it's because I don't have any table manners, but I think he's his own little man. He's old enough now to decide for himself how to take in a meal. I could see his tan line as the shirt moved up and down his arm, adjusting itself as needed. He had a few noticeable cuts and bruises between the sun exposed dark tan skin, and light creamy tan skin around the shirt's short sleeves.

He was certainly a perfect mix between every feature I had and his mother's. Her light olive and my dark brown skin tone-made up his perfect complexion. Despite the light scarring, I was wholly surprised that he's in such great condition. Not just physically, but mentally too. He just seemed happy and in tune with his surroundings. Not in a suspicious way either, just really well adjusted and back into the natural flow of things. But he was concerned. That I knew because he couldn't stop telling me so in my head. His turquoise colored eyes shimmered as the sun light came in through the kitchen window in front of the stove, where Jules stood.

She's gazing at Cory just as intently as I am. I suppose she's reminiscing as well, and calculating the damage that's been done. His dark black hair draped over his forehead, partly covering his eyes. His pink lips cracked open into a smirk as he noticed me watching him. He looked up at me and flashed the biggest smile I've ever seen from him. I smiled back and touched the top of his head and tossed his hair around some. His hair is slightly longer in the front than the back. It's a nice cut. He put it back the way it was after my hand left his head. He must have liked it as well. I suppose Julia did it before I got here. His hair was much less kept, s.h.a.ggy and longer when I saw him back in that abandoned factory. It was mangy too when we were at the hospital. I didn't see him much at the hospital, but then too I lost myself looking over his frame and that thick head of jet-black hair. Good thing Julia cleaned him up as she always did. He likely felt a lot more like himself after that.

"Cory," Julia called out, and then oddly paused. She looked to be trying to gather the right words. "How do you . . . feel?" she asked more with her hands than her mouth. Her voice cracked mid sentence. Now she scratched her head, looking for a better angle to start with.

"I feel great, why?" Corinth smiled as he spoke with an oddly adult tone.

"What do you mean ... why? I always want to know how you feel, honey," she said tentatively. I could see her mind working. She wanted to ask him those dreaded questions. What happened when they came for you? How were you treated? Did they hurt you? And any other possible scenario involving him needing support of any kind.

"I can feel you're fear, dad," Corinth said to me abruptly.

It took me by surprise. His tone inferred that he knew exactly what I was feeling, but decided to give me the opportunity to say it for myself. Exactly how far did the reach of his new powers extend. Could he hear me thinking my thoughts?

"I can. But I'll stop if you don't want me to."

My jaw could have hit the floor. He spoke those words inside my mind, just like before. So effortlessly. This was getting weirder by the second. I've heard of telepathic people. They've been sought after for all of time, but none of them could use the gift as easily as Corinth.

They could see some cryptic images of the future and maybe make good sense of the past. Things that no one could know unless they were present in that era. Some could even move semi-large things with their minds, even reject the use of a wand or llave, and simply cast spells with their mind as the conduit. But-their abilities had very specific limitations. They didn't just enter people's heads and do what they willed.

The picture was starting to shape up. It seems someone in the Gente Peligroso knew things about our son that we didn't. Julia and I had no idea of Corinth's ability to do these spectacular things. It was about that time now, we needed to get some information from our boy about his abduction and his abductor.

"Corinth, do you know anything about the people who took you?" I hesitantly asked him. He still wore that smile on his face, but it fell as I opened up this dialogue.

"No," he said flatly.

Julia moved closer, with a bewildered look on her face. "Cory, how is it possible that you don't know who they are?" My thoughts exactly Jules. "I mean, you've been speaking to your father and I in our minds all this morning and yesterday as well. You surely saw something notable in the past two years, honey?"

"I'm sorry, okay!" he shouted and put his head down on the table. His mood took a drastic turn in one immediate flashing instant.

"No, honey, don't be," Julia said quickly as she put her hand on his back and rubbed in some much needed comfort.

"It's just that ..." his head popped up, while his voice steadily stuttered. "I just woke up last week in that factory and I-"

"Wait!" I jumped up out of my seat in absolute shock. "What's the last thing you remember before you woke up at the factory?" I urgently asked.

"Well, you left my room after we ate our chocolates, and then it gets really fogging from there," he said through streaming tears.

I have to admit, I'm kind of glad to see him cry. For a second, I wondered if he still had human emotions. His tone had been somewhat robotic up until now. Julia looked up at me in question when Corinth brought up our chocolate indulgence, but thankfully, he continued with his explanation.

"You said goodnight, then you turned off the light and clicked on my night light. I started to fall asleep and I dreamt about some weird looking hooded man appearing in my room. He came in a blue and gray puff of smoke. It lit the room up brighter than my night light for a second. He stood over my bed for a little while, and just looked at me with his big scary blue eyes. They were even bluer than your eyes dad." He looked over to me with that little face, and I couldn't believe that he had to go through all of this. After a ma.s.sive deep breath, he kept on with his recount of the events between now and then, in a much more timid tone. "So . . . I just put my head under the covers. Then like a minute later I pulled them back, to check if he'd went away. But instead of being in my room, I was in the factory staring dad in the eyes."

"Did your father do this, Corinth?" I couldn't believe what I just heard, Julia accused me of being Corinth's kidnapper!

I shouted loudly. "What! How could you say something so idiotic and hurtful?"

"Is it idiotic, Cris? You were the last thing he saw before he went to bed and the first thing he saw when he remembers waking up. Your eyes are blue," she pointed in my face,"mine aren't, buddy!" She was out of her mind. She always seemed to blame me for his disappearance, but not like this.

"No, if you were listening you would have heard him say that the last thing he saw was a hooded man!" I was belligerently shouting and Corinth couldn't take it. He ran from the kitchen through the living room and into the bathroom on the opposite side of the first floor of the beach house.

"Corinth, don't run away,we're sorry, it's just that-" It was too late. He'd already slammed the door shut. Once we both made our way over, I could hear him sobbing on the other side.

"I'm sorry, Cory, please come out. I'm not going to yell anymore, I promise." He seemed to be even more fragile than usual.

"You see, he's scared of you," Julia said with a smug look across her face. I can't believe she's taking a stance like this.

"What's going on with you?" I asked her. "Are you that desperate to blame someone that you'd accuse me? That beautiful boy's own father and your husband. For crying out loud, think before you speak, Julia!"

She looked down in shame. "No, I don't want to blame you, but I can't trust you either. You didn't even want to help me put this place together. Do you know how much energy it took to bring this about?" She had a point, but I regretted my first opinion of her idea ever since those goons took me on that joyride, of sorts, to the docks.

"Julia,you were right. Corinth is in a danger that I'm not sure we can protect him from." She seemed slightly relieved by my compa.s.sionate tone. "I should have been for this plan from the start. I wasn't thinking clearly, I didn't want to create more problems that could put us at an even greater risk." It seemed she was taking me at face value. Underneath it all- I don't think she truly believes me.

"Let's just ask Corinth about it and see how things go," she suggested through clenched teeth. The lid on her emotions is ready to pop off, letting out a fury of rage. Things were going down in flames fast. Too fast for me to keep up.

"Okay, let's do it... if we must."