Close proximity definitely helped when tethering. Especially for the first time.
For a split second fear and worry pressed down on me. Could I handle this? The power of the half-Walkers was intense. The first time, when all six of us connected, I had barely been able to control the flow. Now, there would be seven. A complete unit. And something told me that the energy was probably going to blow my frickin’ head off. Maybe it would have been better to connect with all of them on Earth for the first time, where everything was less intense. But I also worried that if we did that, any surge of power or abilities might also be muted, and we needed every ounce of power if we had any hope of defeating the Seventine.
The streets outside our former home looked the same. Rubble, shells of cars, rubbish – the tortured soul of this city. I knew there was no point wandering aimlessly, so I reached out and halted my friends. They didn’t ask me why; they knew what I was about to do.
My golden tether sprang to life. With almost no effort I shot it out, sending it toward the six other females whose energy matched my own. Even across worlds, time and space, the tether found its targets.
Abbs.
Supes.
Abigail.
The chorus of greetings went on for a few moments. Even Sapha joined in, her accented tones easy to differentiate from the others.
Are you on Earth? Delane got right to business. Have you found the female? We need you both back here. There’s been a small escalation in the battle, nothing serious, but I feel that this is the countdown to something quite destructive.
I could tell from the clipped urgency in her tone that she wasn’t exaggerating her worries.
No, I haven’t found her yet. That’s why I’ve connected us. I’m going to try and follow her tether. Like I did on Dronish.
Delane spoke for everyone again. Well, we’re here for you, but we’ll pull back now and let you concentrate.
I heard a snort of derision. Whoa, warrior-Walker, you don’t speak for all of us. But I’ll allow it this one time. Fury still wasn’t great with authority figures.
She didn’t want the responsibility of being in charge herself, and if she respected you she would follow you anywhere, but Delane was yet to prove herself to the fiery Crais half.
There were six tethers in my head; five of them golden and strong with wisps of elemental energy resonating from each of the girls. The sixth and final tether was very faint, almost like a transparent image. A hologram that was mimicking the other tethers. That was the one we needed to follow.
As the other girl’s energy withdrew from my mind, it allowed me to focus more on the last tether. I had an idea that might work; it was something I’d done before, but I knew it would be harder on Earth.
“Hold on to me,” I said to Brace, Lucy and Colton.
None of them seemed surprised by my sudden outburst. Sometimes I forgot that not everyone was in my head listening to all the inner conversations. Well, actually Brace probably had caught some of it, even though he did get pushed out a little when all the half-Walkers were tethered to me. I only had so much spare room and attention inside my mind.
As soon as the four of us were physically connected I reached for the ghostly tether. As I had done on Dronish when I’d had to take the sun’s energy to the center line, it was sort of a reverse tracing, because I didn’t actually know where it would end.
Closing my eyes, I tried to trace us all toward the tether. A lash of energy slapped back at me, loud like the crack of a whip. I flinched, barely stopping the shriek which bubbled up from my throat and died on my lips. Ouch. That had kind of hurt. The cloying sensation on my well felt extra strong, and something told me it was that which hindered my ability to follow the Earth tether.
“Abbs?” Lucy was on my right side, her voice low so as not to attract unwanted attention. “Can we help you?”
I gritted my teeth, thankful that none of them seemed to have felt that painful backlash of energy. “I think that with Earth limiting my powers, my tethering abilities are faulty. I can see her ghostly tether, but I can’t pull us toward it.” I let out a sigh. “Looks like we’re walking.”
No one complained or said anything, but I knew we were all thinking the same thing. This half-Walker could be anywhere in this massive world. What was I going to do if I reached the edge of America and had to try and find her in another country? I couldn’t walk on water – well, I was pretty sure I couldn’t.
I’ll come over and swim for you, Talina piped up.
Even though the girls’ energy was back in the corners of my mind, they could still connect if they concentrated.
Deal with one crisis at a time. Sapha was the surprise pep-talker. Don’t worry about crossing water-ponds until you have no choice.
I grinned. Man, I loved these half-Walkers. They were solid.