See How She Falls (15 page)

“I’m
saying that you probably need to talk to him and figure it out. I wouldn’t
exactly write it off just yet.” I remembered Conall’s face when he’d first seen
her and I knew, undoubtedly, the feelings brewing beneath the surface were far
from platonic. The look he’d given her was definitely not of the familial
persuasion.

“Talk.
I can talk. Not well, and not with a filter, but I can do it. Now, back to the
other parts. How was she there? It was just supposed to be a recording of a
memory.” Sena pinned me with her gaze, effectively redirecting the
conversation.

“My
visions are funky. They never are simple.” I pulled myself up in the bed doing
my best to shake off the exhaustion pulling at me. “I need to get up and get
dressed. Can you help me?”

“What,
like a nursemaid?”

“Or
a friend?” I suddenly missed Molly. Had she been there with me, she’d already
have me up and moving to get dressed.

“I
think I can handle that.” Sena smiled brightly. I wondered just what had
happened to her to leave her in such a state. “Are you even up to moving about
though? I’m pretty sure your Guardian is going to give me a royal beat down if
I come out of this room with you.”

“Nah.
He is a big old softie. Well, apparently not when he turns into a rage beast,
but otherwise we’re good. Besides, you heard what she said. If I don’t get up
and shake off this darkness weighing on me, I will succumb to it. If I let the
darkness win then I won’t be a whole lot of good to anyone and all of this
trouble will be for nothing.”

“True.
Alright, so are sweatpants and a t-shirt enough? Or are you thinking dressy
casual?” Sena hovered over my suitcase, assessing its meager contents.

“Sweatpants.
Let’s take this whole shaking off the darkness thing one step at a time.”

“Okay,
then. Up you go.” Sena brought some clothes over to me so that I could get
dressed.

“Why
are the smallest things so hard right now?” I groused.

“Probably
because you are marked from head to toe with soul sucking runes," Sena
supplied matter-of-factly.

“Do
you always state the obvious, or is this just something you do with me?” I
asked, wondering if there was a way I could install a filter in the girl’s
head.

“Nah,
I do it with everyone.” Sena helped me get dressed, which turned out to be a
very slow process. What with the circus acrobatics required to avoid touching
my runes and the exhaustion pulling at me with every breath I took. I was
surprised we managed it at all.

By
the time we’d finished, I was ready to climb straight back into the bed. The
only thing that kept me from doing it was Cait’s warning ringing in my head. If
I wanted to end this, I had to fight what was happening to me.

“Alright,
let’s go find everyone else. Do you think you can act as my crutch? I’m not so
good with the coordination thing on days when I’m not falling to pieces. Which
really just means I’m bound to face plant if I don’t have someone holding me up
right now.”

“I gotcha.” Sena grabbed my elbow,
supporting my weight as we made our way to the door.

Kennan
grabbed ahold of me as soon as we made it through the door, helping to steady
me.

“Whoa,
there. Where exactly do you think you are going?” Kennan raised a brow at me like
I’d lost my ever loving mind.

“I’m
going to find some answers, to talk to my aunt, and contact the Council
members.” I eyed him steadily, waiting for an argument. Instead, he clenched
his jaw repressing any admonishments he might have wanted to say.

“Okay.
At least let me help you get to her rooms.” Kennan wrapped his arm under me,
half-steadying, half-carrying me as we went.

“Thank
God. She is heavy," Sena breathed, shaking out her arm where she’d just
been trying to hold me up.

“Thanks
a ton, Sena.” Hopefully she picked up on the sarcasm.

“Anytime,"
she smiled brightly before bouncing down the hall and disappearing.

“That
girl is strange," I muttered to myself.

“Pot,
meet kettle," Kennan replied. Even in my dire state, Kennan still made fun
of me. The butt.

“Whatever,
just get me to my aunt. I need to talk to her and then contact the Council.
Things are coming to a head more quickly than I think any of us anticipated
they would.” 

“We’re
getting there. Don’t be so impatient," Kennan grumbled, practically
dragging me down the hall. 

Chapter
Nineteen

The
journey to my aunt’s room was treacherous and unforgiving. Okay, so maybe it
was the exhaustion speaking, but I hadn’t even gone five doors down and I was
ready for a nap. The sooner this whole thing was over the better. At this rate,
I would probably welcome the end, just so that I could get some rest. I shook
myself, remembering Cait’s words. If I didn’t focus on trying to overcome this,
I could very well succumb to the darkness. It was tempting.

“Well,
come in. Don’t just hover outside of the door like some creepy lurkers.” My
aunt’s voice came from behind her door.

“We’re
coming. We’re just moving a little more slowly than normal," Kennan
muttered.

“Why
is she out of bed? Why are you out of bed?” She looked to Kennan and then me
for answers.

“Because
there is no time to rest, and I need some advice. I don’t really know what my
next step is. I know that I’m supposed to contact the Council and let them know
that we have proof. But, aside from that, I’m not really sure what is coming.
What do you think I should do? Do the heavens have any messages for me? You
know, advice or anything. Maybe a ‘How to Defeat Demons:  A Step By Step
Guide’?”

“Nothing
will ever be that simple.” My aunt looked at me skeptically.

“Well,
that sucks," I huffed, as Kennan helped me to the closest seat. “So, what
do you think I should do?”

“I
think that you should follow your own instincts. What are they telling you to
do?”

“I
feel like I need to head back to the Council and call back Damali and
Francesca. They need to be involved in this. Even if I don’t like them, I could
use their help.”

“If
you do call them back, you must no longer conceal what is happening to you.
They must know everything if they are going to help you.” Something in my
aunt’s face shifted and I knew that someone was about to talk through her. She
turned toward me fully, and began to speak in her creepy possessed voice. “The
truth can no longer be hidden. Reveal your secrets to the Council, for in the
revelation more things may be illuminated. Take your Guardian and the Old One
but leave Conall. When you return, which you will, bring with you those that
you wish to protect.”

“What
do you mean? I thought the Council was supposed to help me? Why would I be
returning?”

“The
truth will become clear and you will return to your aunt. You must journey this
path if you hope to overcome the darkness.”

“Riddles.
Why do you people always speak in riddles? Why can’t it be ‘This is point A,
now journey to point B’?” I practically shouted at whomever was currently using
my aunt as a voice box.

“The
most important things in this life require the greatest commitments and
sacrifice. If everything was easy, nothing would be worth the earning,"
the voice responded sardonically.

Then
the possessor faded, whomever he was. I was certain it was a guy, only a man
could be that infuriating.

“Okay,
so I guess just keep my bed warm then. It looks like I’ll be heading back to
the Council to discuss this and what is happening to me.”

“Are
you sure that is wise? Are you sure you are well enough to travel?” Concern
radiated from my aunt.

“No,
but the big chief seems to think it is a necessary part of my journey," I
moaned, bringing my hand to cover my face. “Is there any way to get your friend
with the helicopter back here? More importantly, is there an easier way to get
back to where that helicopter lands?”

“Of
course there is. We just wanted to make sure that you could be trusted before
revealing our location. Should you choose to betray us, we would’ve had time to
escape.” My aunt’s smile was sly.

“Well,
no betrayal will come from me. I know how much that sucks. I guess we’d better
go tell Conall the plan. I’m sure he will be thrilled. Oh, and call the Council
peeps. Order them in for a meeting.”  I fell back against the chair,
slipping into a shallow sleep momentarily.

“Izzy,
we need to get going.” Kennan lifted me from the chair to be cradled in his
arms.

“I
can walk," I murmured sleepily.

“Not
a chance. Today you don’t have to feign strength. Today, you rely on me.”
Kennan kissed the top of my head and I gave up any fight that I might have had
left in me.

“Okay.
But I haven’t called the Council.”

“Eleanor
is taking care of it. They should be there when we return. They all live fairly
close to the Council headquarters. For now, rest. Save your strength. You are
going to need it.”

I
started thinking about everything that was left to come, and wondered how I
would have the strength to get through it. I couldn’t even walk myself to a
helicopter. I had to be carried. The darkness pulled at me, tempting me with
the peaceful oblivion that it would provide if I only let it. There would be no
more pain, no more struggle. I could give in. I could just leave this world and
everything it contained, behind. I never wanted this fight to begin with.

“Stop
it!” Aberto shouted from behind us. I hadn’t even seen him come back. “You will
not give into this, do you understand me? You are far too strong to let them
win.”

“What
is he talking about, Izzy?” Kennan asked quietly as we approached the waiting
helicopter.

“He
was putting his nose where it doesn’t belong again. Even if he is right, and I
do need to fight this.” I evil eyed Aberto, trying my best to ignore the fact
that he was completely right.

“You
didn’t answer me. What was going through your mind just now?” Kennan looked
down on me, concern etching his face.

“I
was thinking of how easy it would be to give in, to surrender to the darkness
and just fade away. I’m so tired, Kennan. I’m tired of the fighting, of the
running, of the never truly being safe. I’m tired of not knowing who I can
truly trust. I’m tired of all of the riddles. I’m just,” I sighed heavily,
“tired.”

“I
know, but if you give in, what will become of us?” Kennan knew what I needed to
hear to keep me on track. If it was only my life at stake, I would surrender in
a nanosecond. But, it wasn’t. Everyone was looking to me to end this, to save
them. I wouldn’t fail them. I wouldn’t let them down.

“That
is the only thing keeping me grounded," I muttered.

We
arrived at the helicopter quickly. I hadn’t even noticed the path we’d taken in
the midst of my internal misery.  We moved toward the helicopter, Kennan
gently placing me in the seat. Within a matter of minutes he’d strapped me in
tightly and climbed in to sit next to me.

Aberto
followed, placing himself so that he could sit directly in front of me. Anger
combined with fear masked his face, hiding whatever thoughts he had. I started
to ask him what was going through his mind, when he abruptly looked up at me.
His eyes were a glowing blue that I’d only seen once, the night he’d pulled
Xavier’s soul from his body. Something was coming, and he knew what was about to
take place. Every fiber of my being screamed to find out.

“I
am not at the liberty of answering your questions.” Aberto’s eyes flamed as he
looked back down at his hands. “Believe me, could I forewarn you, I would.
Could I prepare you for what you must face, what you must overcome.” His voice
trailed off, leaving me in a panic. What did he know? Had it been something
he’d always known? What was I about to walk into back at the Council? He
reached his hand out to engulf mine. “You will endure. You must.”

“Is
it something you can tell me?” Kennan looked between us, concerned.

“Yes,
and I fear I must. You need to know what is coming.”

“That
is so not fair," I mumbled.

“Izzy,
I have broken one of the gods’ directives to ensure your safety. I cannot do so
again. Please do not ask this of me.” His eyes were a slow burning ember, no
longer the fire they’d been moments ago.

“Meh,
it probably wouldn’t help to know at any rate.” I let go then, allowing sleep
to overtake me. At least I knew I wasn’t falling into the dreaming. Instead,
where I was going was far worse. It was a parade of memories, of happy times
over the years, before I knew what I was. Before this whole destiny business
came knocking on my door. It was a cruel reminder of a life that was never
real, a life covered in misdirection and deceit all for the greater good. 

Chapter
Twenty