Part 16 (1/2)

”What about Ria?” I asked.

His expression closed off, his features motionless. ”It's kinder if we both forget about our childhood dreams. Reality doesn't favor this union.”

And with a huff of breath he left the room.

”I'm going to find Ria,” I said once I knew he was gone.

I left to the sound of Lucy explaining to Josian what we'd just learned: Lucas and Ria's connection, and also the conclusions we'd reached about my role as empress. I knew my father would not be happy about this, the same as Brace wouldn't have been. My loyalties, power and energies were already stretched in too many directions. But for some reason I had faith that there was a point to all of this, that somehow it would all come together and make sense in the end.

Lucy's voice faded out as I hurried along the hall and down the stairs, jumping the last few. It was then a simple move to head out of the house and onto the dark front balcony. I had a suspicion where I would find the Regali queen. She often headed into the forest beside our house. It wasn't large, but there were quite a few densely packed trees and other plants. And sure enough, as I stepped into the cool, dark eeriness of the forest area, I sensed her green energy.

”I hate him.” Her voice echoed because she was flinging herself through the trees, her beloved vines catching and throwing her slim figure. She dropped down next to me, the leaves still hugging her close. ”I even hated him when I thought a figment of my imagination had abandoned me. Now I find out he was real.”

Blasts of energy leaked off her. I absorbed some my well inside loving the new influx of power while others flickered off and had plants blossoming around us. Flowers of red and yellow bloomed to my right, and the dense undergrowth puffed out with life.

”Maybe it was nothing to do with Lucas.” I tried to offer a third-person perspective. ”Whilst I think he's generally a selfish a.s.s, often these dream things are out of your control. He probably had no say over his appearances or lack thereof.”

Ria was so covered in greenery now I could only just see her face. ”And where is he now, Abby? I notice that he's not here making sure I'm fine.”

I shrugged. ”I did say he was an a.s.s.”

A glimmer of a smile crossed her lips then.

”And, to be fair, he was worried about you.”

Something flickered in her purple eyes, before she lowered her face slightly. ”Can you tell me why half-Walkers can't open doorways?”

My eyes widened as she hit me from the side with a subject change. But I could see that it was something she'd been thinking about; and right then she probably hated that she was beholden to me or Josian to return her to Regali.

”Josian seems to think that I'm the anomaly. He originally felt that us halves would not have access to the doorways.”

Ria's eyebrows contracted. ”I'm usually so even tempered, but I find it decidedly unfair that you can use the doorways and trace.” Her attempt to smile was dismal.

Her words gave me a moment's thought.

”Wait, you can't use the doorways, but ... can you trace?” We'd never even thought to try that.

”I asked Josian when he was taking me to Klea yesterday,” Ria said. ”He told me that was a power only the ancients had.”

I grabbed her hand, my tone increasing in pitch. ”The ancients and ... me. Because we believe that the seven half-Walkers hold the power of the ancients.”

Ria stepped free of her viney cage. ”Show me, Abby. How do you trace?”

Good question. It was something I had accidentally discovered, and I had no idea how to explain it. I hoped if I just went over the steps, she'd be able to do it.

”Okay, try and mentally picture the front door of the house.” I pointed back through the trees to my home. ”Have you got the image?”

Ria closed her eyes. ”Yes,” she said after a moment. ”I see the door and balcony.”

”On the edge of the image is there anything strange?” It wouldn't work if she couldn't see the tethers.

She didn't answer straight away. I could see her eyelids fluttering. They hid her stunning violet eyes, but something was happening behind them.

”Yes!” she suddenly exclaimed. ”It took me some time, but there are these glittery strands all around.” Her breath was coming in gasps. ”Some are thick, others are shorter or thinner. They're all different.”

A grin crossed my features. Mentally I connected to Fury and Talina.

Come out to the front and bring Lucy. I think I can show you how to use the tethers.

h.e.l.l, yeah, Fury yelled.

Be right there, Abbs. Talina's voice rose in pitch.

I released my tie to them.

”Okay, Ria, now I want you to mentally reach out and grab onto the largest, strongest looking strand. I'll meet you at the house.”

I took off running then, hoping like h.e.l.l that she would be waiting for me. And sure enough as I cleared the forest and rounded the side of the house, Ria was standing there. Her hands were fisted in her long strands of hair, her eyes wide and her grin even wider. The front door burst open and the girls piled out, along with Josian, Lallielle, Dune, Raror, and Francesca. Gee, they must have brought everyone with them. What had Fury done? Run through the house screaming? At least Samuel wasn't there. I avoided him a lot. I knew I was being petty, but the truth was I didn't trust him and I hadn't forgiven him.

Well, that's what I kept telling myself, even though the guilty thoughts never went away.

”What's going on?” Josian asked, taking in our animated faces. ”I heard yelling and thought we were under attack.” His bronze eyes were twinkling.

”We can use the tethers.” The words burst from Ria. For the first time since finding her in the jungle of Artwon, she seemed like a giddy kid.

Josian's expression didn't change. His grin remained in place, but something flickered across his eyes. He seemed pleased. I was distracted though by Lallielle's exclamation. She moved forward to hug me and each of the girls.

”I'm so happy to hear that. I hated thinking that the other girls were vulnerable and unable to leave a bad situation,” she said as she moved back next to Francesca.

The soothsayer's white eyes moved between us, but she didn't say much, which was usual since she'd returned. Losing her visions had shaken her badly. Samuel and Francesca were both damaged at the moment, and a part of me felt bad for never having any time or interest in talking with them. I just felt as if I couldn't take on one more problem. I was at my limit.

”Show us, Supes.” Fury was basically bouncing off my arm. ”Being a half-Walker is about to get a h.e.l.l of a lot more awesome.”

I quickly went through the same explanation as I had with Ria. We decided to see if they could just go to the other end of the balcony we were standing on. The three girls closed their eyes, and on my command found their tethers and reached for them. And just like that they disappeared. Their excited shrieks when they landed together at the intended destination said everything.

We had just added another impressive skill to our Seventine-smas.h.i.+ng a.r.s.enal. Every little step we took forward gave me some hope hope that in the end we would be strong enough. Although at the same time it also pointed out how many things we didn't know about each other, our powers and what happened when the half-Walkers came together. If we could just get the information about the exact powers the originals held, maybe we would have a hope of finding our own strengths and destroying the threat of the Seventine.

Chapter 12.

The next morning the girls took full advantage of their new abilities, each one tracing to their home planets. Talina was taking Ladre. She'd told me privately that she would not ask him to return to First World with her, but would let him decide what he wanted. Fury and Dune were going to check on Cleo, his dragoona. They were going in sneaky, and Fury couldn't use her fire power while she was there. If the nomads sensed her they'd be all over her b.u.t.t. And Ria was visiting Klea again, which brought about her first real smiles since running into Lucas.

All three of the half-Walkers were beyond excited to have the ability to go back to their old worlds if required. It gave us all a new lease on life, and made the task that was stealing so much of our lives from us the Seventine battle much easier to take each day. For Lucy and me it was time to head back to Nephilius.

And I don't care what anyone says, I did not get dressed nicely, and start anxiously pacing the white room because Brace was going to arrive any time soon.