Thanks, friends. I’m going to disconnect now. I’ve got the lead on the Earth half, so I’ll just keep her tether locked.
It was always the same. Once I recognized the energy of a half-Walker, I could find her much easier the next time.
Okay, Abby, but make sure you keep us updated. Check in on occasion. That was Ria, and she sounded upset.
Everything okay, Ria?
The queen usually took everything in her stride. She was so calm and her plants kept her wrapped in a loving embrace.
The pause was extended. But she did eventually answer. I’ve been back to Artwon. The forest has very little time left. Death spreads like a malignant growth. My heart is heavy. It aches for the loss of life. Both plant and sentient being.
Damn. Those freaking Seventine. I wanted to rip them limb from limb and then glue all their pieces back together, with like a welder – because burning hot metal – ouch, then rip them apart again.
We’ll make it in time, Ria. We’ll save all the worlds and Artwon.
Her pause was less pronounced this time. I know, Abby, I have every faith in you and in all of us.
I felt like there was more, but I didn’t want to push her. Probably something to do with Lucas, First World’s Emperor. Those two had something going on, something complicated, but years of hurt and loss was interfering in the relationship they might have. Oh, and just the small problem that they were both rulers of worlds far, far away from each other.
The girls couldn’t disconnect from me; when we were tethered I held most of the power and control. Although, we were slowly learning how to share the energy around. I severed the tethers to the five solid golden cords, concentrating so I wouldn’t lose the final ghostly one. It shimmered for a moment, and I fought to keep hold. Then the connection solidified and we were good to go.
“Okay, let’s start walking,” I said, turning to head east from where we were. In the direction of the cord.
“I’m so glad you convinced me to wear shoes,” Lucy said, kicking out her booted feet. “These streets are effing disgusting.”
“Word,” I agreed.
No one had cleaned the city streets for a very long time.
Lucy was a lucky-biatch. She could freaking fly – yep, no envy here – so she rarely wore shoes anymore. But since we were on Earth, and humans tended to spaz out about things like wings and pixies coming to life, Lucy was going to be stuck walking. Which was why I’d mentioned before we left First World that it was probably in her best interest to cover those dainty feet. Lest, she lose them to some sort of gross-ass substance on the ground here.
We continued to stride at a medium pace, a comfortable silence between us. I was simply enjoying having Brace by my side. His presence was warming to my soul and calming to my mind. We were whole again. I couldn’t even stress too much about the fact that it was only a matter of time until the four of us were jumped by gangers.
Of course, it wasn’t the same sort of threat that it used to be. Lucy and I now had ancient battle-ready Walker mates by our side. Don’t get me wrong, Lucy and I could hold our own and more than throw down if needed, but it didn’t hurt to have some backup.
As we walked, Colton and Brace slowly started to maneuver us so that we ended up between them. That way, if anyone attacked, they’d be the more vulnerable targets. I wasn’t sure if they thought we hadn’t noticed, since they were acting all casual like. Gods, they were cute. Cute and annoying.
I wasn’t really paying attention to landmarks, mostly because the tether was my guide. I’d never actually been out of the downtown part of New York, but I had the vague suspicion that we were heading toward Brooklyn. Although, there was so much destruction now it was almost impossible to tell any longer. Well, we’d know once we hit water.
Over the next few hours we walked, chatting quietly. I’d had probably a dozen hours’ sleep in the past couple of days, but my energy remained steady. Lucy looked good also, and the boys could have walked forever. My focus remained on the flimsy tether. If my concentration wavered too much, it could slip away from me.
During this time I was getting an occasional flash of emotions resonating along the transparent cord. A sense of unease filtering through. I had a bad feeling that my Earth half was in trouble or something. My pace increased then. I don’t know how I knew it, but I just knew we had to hurry.
After about five hours of striding, just as we ventured into the more sparsely cluttered parts of the city, something changed. A trickling of unease on the air and the familiar churning in my stomach which warned me of danger.
I was about to speak up when Brace threw out an arm and halted our progress.
Here we go.