“Time means something very different when you witness thousands of years pass. By the time I returned to First World, Lallielle had already made the difficult decision to hide you. I missed my chance and Earth is a contradiction to any other planet: such a magic void that I could not find you.”
He shook his head. “And yet you sit here before me and it’s the same as always: you emit no energy signature. You should be shining bright with power, but besides the occasional thought – nothing.”
I was relieved to hear that. I didn’t need powers on top of everything else.
“I wondered about that,” Lallielle said quietly. “And, Josian, love, you must stop blaming yourself.”
She turned back to me while leaving a comforting hand on his shoulder. “When I first met your father, I instantly fell in love with him. He was unlike anyone I’d ever met. At the time I didn’t know of the Walkers, but it soon became apparent he did not think or act as a human would. He was arrogant with his power – they’d wandered as gods among people for too long.”
She laid a gentle kiss against his cheek.
“I’ve told Josian many times that, in leaving us, he was humbled. No matter his power, everyone has a weakness – his love for you and me – this is what changed him enough that he can live a normal life.”
“What about Sam?” I was trying to work out the logistics.
Lallielle’s face paled, the life draining from her eyes. “Samuel is your half-brother. He has been lost to us for a year now. Born of drama, he has always walked a rocky path.”
I opened my mouth to ask what the hell she was talking about, but she continued.
“Before I met Josian there was a mesmerizer that lived here in Angelisian. He was a master at deception. No one realized he’d been driven insane from his power. He somehow started to believe that I was his destined mate. He held me prisoner for two years.”
She swallowed.
“I wanted to die for almost every moment but I didn’t. In the end, when Samuel was born, I could not let my baby be raised there, so I waited for the perfect moment, and I escaped. My dreamer abilities counteracted some of his mesmerizer strength.”
Josian growled quietly. The rumble filled the room.
“What happened to the man?” I had to ask.
Lallielle started to stroke Josian’s back. I was surprised to see how quickly he calmed from that small contact.
“Your father tracked him down. He saved me in more ways than he will ever understand.”
The look in his eyes told me the mesmerizer had paid for his crime. I glared as power continued to bleed from the very essence of Josian. It felt as though, if I reached out my hand and touched him, I would be filled with jolts of electricity.
“Why haven’t you found Samuel and Lucy?”
His features grew hard; he was suddenly chiseled from stone.
“I do not know. It should be a simple matter for me to track Sammy. His energy pattern is the same as Lalli’s. But nothing. It’s as if his entire being has been removed from existence. The same with Lucy. Her essence lingers in town, but there the trail ends.”
I sat up straight. “They’re on Earth.”
Josian didn’t look surprised by my genius outburst. “I believe so. I’ve explored far and wide there, for you and Sammy. But with no powers it’s like being blind. I’m not a human there, but far closer than is comfortable.”
Lallielle choked back a sob. “I’ll not wait any longer. We will go to Earth and not leave until we find Sammy and Lucy.” She sucked in a ragged breath. “Losing you and Sammy was a punishment for my terrible choices. But Aribella has returned to us. Let’s find the others too.”
Chapter 9
After twenty minutes of such high emotions, I needed a break, a distraction. I locked eyes with Brace, who was quietly waiting in the wings.
“Has the lockdown been lifted yet?” I didn’t know how much longer I was prepared to wait. I wondered what would happen if I attempted to leave.
Lallielle answered. “There will be a siren sound. Until then, no one is to leave their residence. It is unfortunately part of our magical security.”
Josian raised his brows, and gave me a grin. “You’re welcome to try and leave. As with most Walkers, I’m sure you won’t take our word for it.”
I looked between them before rising to my feet. With one last glance at Brace I walked to the front door. It opened easily, but as I attempted to take the first step outside my foot hit an obstacle. The entire doorway was an invisible barrier.
With a sigh, I walked back to stand next to Brace. I was struck by a thought as I glanced at Josian with his soft glow. Brace should pale in comparison to this man who was more than human, but he didn’t. Okay, his skin wasn’t glowing, but there was still something more.
His expression was unreadable as his eyes roamed over my face. “Abby needs food. She hasn’t eaten all day,” he announced abruptly.