It was a great idea in theory.
But, as always, theory often did not translate to real life. My golden cord smashed against Brace’s father, and I could sense its will to connect, but there was nothing there to touch. Eva was right: it was like a sticky glue which left this cloying residue taste on my tongue and within the tether. I persisted for as long as I could, but the souls remained outside my grasp.
Que grinned. “Conduit power not everything they told you, little Doreen? Don’t worry; you won’t be around much longer to live with such a weakness.”
Holy eff, I’m in trouble.
I was just about to send my tether out to the girls again, hoping like hell I’d be fast enough to hold Que off when a shriek had my head spinning.
“Aribella!” Francesca burst into sight. “I had a vision,” she yelled again. Her white eyes and hair stood out dramatically against the blackness. “You must touch Que. Only your power can end this suffering.”
What was she talking about? I’d just tried to use my tethers to free the souls. Nothing had happened.
Que was moving again, but not toward me this time. Dodging around the sacred animals, he sprinted for my aunt.
“Brace!” I screamed as I scrambled to gain my footing and follow the evil Walker. “He’s going after Francesca.”
My aunt was so focused on getting her message to me that she never even saw him coming for her. Therefore she did nothing to protect herself before he was almost on her. In desperation I reached for a tether, using my aunt as the anchor to draw me. The world went dark for a second, and the yanking sensation thrust me forward. I ended up body-slamming Francesca, landing on top of her.
Her pupil-less and freaky-as-heck eyes locked on to mine. “Touch his hands, Aribella, it’s the only way. It’s the portal for his power, and you’ll free the souls.”
Her words were hurried, falling over each other.
I shook back strands of red that had fallen around my face. “He kills Walkers with his touch. I can’t … there has to be another way.”
“You hold original power. He won’t kill you. The energy will want to come to you. You’ll know what to do when you connect.”
Heavy hands landed on my back, and I was hoisted up and flung free of my aunt. Francesca held on to me for as long as possible, but we didn’t have the strength to stop Que. He tore us apart, and I ended up about fifty yards back. Dude had an arm on him. I landed heavily, ouch, just missing Brace, who had been sprinting across.
My mate never broke stride, reaching out a long arm and gathering me up off the ground. He tucked me under that same arm, and continued bulldozing toward his father. From my angle I couldn’t see my aunt. Que was crowding over her, but I could tell that he hadn’t attacked yet. We still had time to stop him.
We closed in. I was sort of running on my own, but Brace continued to help me. I’d hurt my leg when I hit the ground, but it was already healing.
In a flash my aunt’s face shifted around the side of Que. White hair was now visible and, as I met her gaze, I gave a small cry. It was hard to determine moods on her strange features, but I felt the sorrow which laced her expression.
What was she doing?
“What are you doing?” I screamed, my throat burning. “Run! Get away from him.”
She didn’t move. Que towered over her, both shouting and waving his hands in wild arcs.
“Tell me what you saw,” he hollered.
He was making demands, using his height to intimidate her, but he wasn’t touching her yet. So why the hell was she standing still?
“She’s sacrificing herself,” I heard Brace mutter.
His pace increased.
I was still sort of swishing my legs trying to keep up, but he pretty much carried me along.
“What do you mean?” I demanded, but there was no time for him to reply.
As we reached Que, Brace let me go. I jogged for a few moments to keep my footing. My mate continued on, reaching forward to launch at his father.
Of course, Francesca didn’t give him that chance. She gave me one last sad smile and with a war cry of sorts stepped right into Que.
The Walker looked surprised and I was shocked to see him attempt to get away from her, as if he was afraid to touch the soothsayer.
With another guttural whoop Francesca kicked Brace’s father straight in the jewels, no hesitation, and full swing of leg. As the Walker doubled over, she said something and I was almost close enough to hear it.
It sounded a lot like: “Let’s see how you like the voices.”
Then with a great heave of breath she took his hands.
Chapter 16