26 Him or Another (2/2)

”Something terrible will happen. I saw the hole. It opened under my feet. Something told me to get away from it,” Isilla said shivers running through her.

The shade crouched on the ground and nodded, ”Ah, as I said, the blood, it remembers.”

”What will happen?” Isilla asked.

The shade shook her head, ”You know what you need. Don't let your light fade here.”

”That's not good enough,” Isilla replied, ”I need to know what will happen if I fall into one of those holes. I need to understand more about what's happening to me. I can't keep from making mistakes if I don't know anything.”

The shade sighed, ”Sorgia, can only tell what can tell. Can only warn, help you along the path. I cannot make you understand.”

”Can I change everyone's memories?” Isilla asked focusing on the woman in front of her.

The shade smiled showing bright, white teeth, ”Ah so you've learned that.”

”I can then,” she said slowly an uneasy feeling boiling in her.

The shade shook her head, ”Not so simple. Dreams and memories, very close things, yes? Sometimes closer than we think. When you make things real, then, very close.”

”So I must be careful as I make changes. This is dangerous,” Isilla said softly.

”Bind your power with this man, this Prince. Then not so dangerous, more control on both sides,” the shade said, her eyes twinkling.

”Why?” Isilla asked.

The shade sighed, ”Power is growing, soon, too much for this vessel. Now, most is used just for this.” She waved her hand indicating the world around them, ”But in a few weeks, you'll have more, it will be too much and then it will start to spill. Maybe in the Light, with other weavers, it would be fine but here, there's no one to move that power.”

Isilla shook her head, her fingers touching her chest, ”No. I don't understand but I can't, not with him. I saw what that was like. I don't want that. It's too much for, it's just too much.”

”For what?” the shade asked. ”Can feel some of what you feel, from our shared time. I know you want someone else. Is fine, then find him instead. Simple. Make the bind with that one then.”

”I don't know who he is,” she said.

”Find him, if you want, you want, but quick! Before you lose light again,” the shade replied. ”Here,” the woman said, reaching her hand out, ”Show you what I mean, better.”

Isilla couldn't move away from the touch, the shade's fingers brushed her arm and the world exploded. Suddenly, Isilla's body felt filled with light.

It's too much, she tried to scream, light spilling from her mouth, her eyes. She grabbed her head, the light, the power, pounded against her skull as if to break it. The world turned gold, her courtyard disappeared, Ilun gone, all that remained were the delicate threads of the Dreaming, twisted into thick cords of power. They wrapped around her, burrowed into her skin, filling her to bursting.

The shade pulled her hand away leaving Isilla shaken.

”You see now, without the other, you can't release it,” she said.

Isilla breathed hard, her arms wrapped around herself. Ilun whimpered and pressed himself closer to her. ”You said,” she started slowly, ”that other dreamweavers could help keep this under control.”

The other woman nodded, ”Dreamweavers or darktellers. Either or but there are none here. Just you, just Sorgia.”

”How do you know?” Isilla asked.

The shade didn't answer. She stood, done with Isilla and left leaving Isilla alone in her courtyard with Ilun

Isilla rolled curling her body towards Ilun, running her fingers through his fur. As if finding him were that easy, she thought. Arren wants me to wait until after the treaty is final, of course he needs to protect the interests of his country. But I need to find him, I can't survive that, not the real thing and I don't want to do that with someone who doesn't care for me.

When the man in the vision had drawn from her, used her power as his own it had almost hurt. Whatever their relationship, it was clear that he was not fond of the women she shared space with. She couldn't risk it with Arren's temper with her, twice now he had yelled at her. She had seen his darkness cover a room.

”I have to find the person who really wrote my letters, he's the only option I have left,” she decided.