The path through the cave and to the prison was familiar now. It was much more pleasant since I’d broken down the dark energy-gathering room, and released the negative energy. We had thwarted the Seventine in so many areas, but still they continued to come back every time. As soon as we unraveled one plan, there were four more to take their place. I was trying not to let myself hope too hard, but a small part of me prayed that maybe now we were going to come out in front. We just needed Jedi and the ritual – he’d explained it to me once before, but I wanted to check the details again – and this entire saga might finally be over.
Right then I couldn’t sense the Seventine close by, but with so much energy around from all the different races and clans, it was hard to differentiate the wash of power. They could be close.
Finally we strode into the round area. The light that splashed across the prison room was a deep, royal purple. It had been like that since we’d imprisoned the lalunas; the hole in the center would close again once we had finished the ritual. This time, when the Seventine were locked away, they would never be freed again. The walls were too strong with the ancient stones embedded.
Jedi wasn’t in the room yet. The half-Walkers spread out to encircle the space, our animals by our sides. Lucy remained near the doorway. It was strange to have all seven of us together. My golden cord was almost twitching; it wanted me to connect to the girls.
The seven of us stared. It was a tad creepy, but also sort of – bonding. Learning about each other and our sacred animal guides. Feeling the connection between the thirteen of us. Each of the animals was so fitting to the personality of the female they had chosen.
A majestic and scary snake for Ria, who was queen of a jungle; water dragon for Talina, who was our very own version of a mermaid; a beautiful and mythical unicorn for Delane, who was the closest thing I’d ever see to an angel; a phoenix for Sapha, whose world literally rose from the ashes to be reborn; a panther kitten for Fury, who was the epitome of someone who could be cute and cuddly one moment and a ferocious raging beast the next. Of course, I couldn’t forget Cerberus, my very own puppy. He was the animal friend I had always dreamed of.
I wondered which sacred guide was destined for Eva. One of the princeps could probably tell me. Many of the older Walkers had known these sacred animals throughout the years. No time for that – we’d find out soon enough.
Just as I was thinking more random and inane thoughts, a shot of energy and the chill of winds rose in the cavern.
Oh, crap.
The tingle of the first washed across me, and that stupid bond between us tugged to life.
Why hello, sister, nice of you to join us. Thanks for releasing the energy on Earth. We can’t thank you enough.
I sighed. He was in my head again. Dude was a creepy-ass stalker. I really didn’t want to encourage his creeptasticness, but I had to ask. The energy on Earth? Was he talking about me breaking the energy transference barrier?
Your father was a clever and deceiving little minion. Even though he can’t even remember half of his laluna-induced actions, he still placed a safeguard on that barrier. Energy of his clan was needed to infiltrate it, and you provided that in spades.
Well, crap on a slice of crap. That was just freaking great. Too late to worry about it now though, I needed to tell the others that we had to do this ritual. The Seventine had the energy. They were going to free their brother.
Whenever the first was in my head, he kind of muted my connection to Brace. But there was still a small section of our bond which the first couldn’t infiltrate. Our melded connection. This part of us could never be touched by the Seventine – even the lalunas had failed to really tear us apart.
I reached for that section now. The Seventine are here. They said that Josian had that barrier spelled so only someone with his energy signature could interrupt the electrical pulses.
His reply was instant. That’s why I sensed your energy on it. You hold strong ties to your father’s power.
The thought of that made me smile, and also the fact that even against beings so much more powerful than him, Josian had still managed to do what he could to save the worlds. He hadn’t even been truly aware of his actions when he’d erected that barrier, and still the innate goodness within him made sure there was a safeguard.
Gods, I hoped he was okay. I loved my father and mother more every day, and wanted time with them in the future. For that to happen I needed to focus on the present and stop the Seventine. I forced myself to focus and start building a barrier between the first and myself. I could block others out, and now it was time for him to get out of my mind. Drawing on the half-Walkers for help, the itchy sensation of a parasitic attachment faded away.
“The Seventine are here. They have the energy to free their brother. We have to stop them.” I spoke quickly, words running into each other, but everyone got the gist.
“How’re we going to do that?” Lucy drew herself up as tall as she could, which was five-feet-nothing, and looked left and right as if she was expecting the scumbags to be floating around her.
“We need Jedi!” I shouted, but knew he wouldn’t get there in time.
I’m sorry, Brace. I have to attempt the ritual. We have no more time. I remembered the words Jedi had told me.