“Do we have the strength to join now without our animal guides?” Delane’s hands rubbed over the handles of her twin axes.
The females who liked to fight with weapons – Delane and Eva primarily – touched their blades all the time. Even if they weren’t particularly using them. I was sort of glad Eva had her Walker-born sword. She was like me, without an active power, so this gave her an extra protection.
“Only one way to find out if we still need the guides,” I said to Delane.
I severed the power from the group.
My body staggered back at the empty feeling which rattled around inside me. I missed the girls already. I missed the wash of energy and my well inside was not happy to be so empty and alone.
Alone … SHIT!
I realized then that I hadn’t thought about Brace for almost the entire time I was here. My heart started to constrict and beat in a rapid manner. Why had I not felt him in my mind?
“Have any of you thought about your mates since being here?” I could feel my face screwing up. Brow was definitely furrowed. “Can you feel the connection?”
Fury was the first to react. She cried out. “Dune! No … I can’t feel him.”
Calm yourselves.
The whispered winds-of-power voice was back again. It was the Mother.
You needed time without distraction, without mates and fighting and squabbles amongst yourselves. You seven and your sacred guides are everything that stands between this life and the one which will destroy everything.
We could hear the reprimand.
We had spent too much of the past year acting like the teenagers and young adult females that we were. Sure, we had had moments of battle and loss and great hardships, but we were still girls. And love was still number one on most of our priorities. Still … Be diplomatic, Abby, just smile and agree …
“You’re wrong about them being a distraction. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without Brace. I’m strong, but he makes me so much stronger.”
“Hear, hear,” I heard Fury mutter.
Yeah, pissing off a god was not my best move. But I might as well stay true to myself.
I felt the energy of the Mother then. It shifted toward me. Before her power had been like beams of sunlight shining over us, and now it was like a blast of UV straight into my face.
You’re strong, and have shown so much more strength of character than I had expected. You broke the bond with your mate for the greater good. It was not the right path, because of lies and treachery, but it still demonstrated to me that even though you are the youngest in years here, you are worthy of the conduit.
Her words reminded me of something; it took me a moment to recall what it was. Youngest and strongest. Right, the prophecy. Well, I had collected the half-Walkers and now it was time to see the rest of it play out.
I wondered for a second what my aunt was doing. Francesca was a soothsayer. Her vision had started this entire thing for me. She was in hiding now, her abilities broken, her soul broken. I was starting to wonder if she’d tapped into something she shouldn’t have. I didn’t know where she was, but Lallielle would know. She kept a pretty close eye on her strange sister.
Your time here is done now. I can no longer prevent the sands from slipping toward the end. There will be hard decisions. You must make necessary sacrifices. For what would this tale be, if not one of love and sacrifice, as you so rightly stated? These are the emotions which are both your strength and weakness. I will be watching.
The voice of a million energies faded away, and then right before the last speck disappeared we heard: You still do not have the strength without your guides. Keep them safe.
“Guess that answers your question, Delane.” Ria reached up and rubbed at her left bicep before wrapping her arm across her abdomen. She looked a tad creeped out.
An echoing boom thundered around us then, and we closed ranks. Our animals too. The ground split beneath our feet and there was no stopping the inevitable plunge downwards. I didn’t panic, trusting that this was simply the way back to our star system.
Back to Brace.
My hands found Cerberus’ coarse fur and I held on to his comforting presence.
I knew now things were real. The countdown to the final battle had started, and as I fell my mind and heart sent out a small prayer of hope. I needed the strength to make it through this, to make sure everyone I loved made it through.