I fought the urge to run the other way as my eyes swept over the jagged rock face cave in front of me. Déjà vu swept over me and my legs carried me backwards until I hit a wall. This cave was similar to the one from the night of Ally’s birthday. The night I had taken David’s life. But that cave hadn’t been in the desert. Jackson pushed me forward until we stood on the ledge and I looked down across a cavernous room that expanded a few hundred feet below us. Wrapping my hands around a set of metal bars that prevented a human like me from falling to their certain death, I saw that to the right, the bars extended down a set of stairs that hugged the edge of the room, spiraling to the floor. There were hundreds of Shadowed on the ground milling about in their soul forms.
“I can see them,” I said breathlessly.
Jackson came to my side. “They are only non-corporeal when they are around humans. It’s a skill that drains them. When they are here they feed from the energy of this place and don’t have to worry about exhausting their means.”
The hair on my arms stood up. I was in the Shadowed camp. There was no turning back now.
Jackson left my side and I took one last look down below at the souls that would never return to the After. Denying a soul the ability to reunite with its True Soul was a fate that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But the Shadowed survived by feeding from the life force of other souls. I would never let them near Collected souls, not if I could do anything about it.
Thankfully, we didn’t travel down to where the Shadowed convened. I wasn’t prepared for that yet. Halfway down the path we turned into a pocket in the rock where another door led down another corridor, this one with slate walls and doors on either side. Each door had a window big enough for me to see two beds and a sink in each of them.
“This is one of the dormitory wings,” Jackson said.
“Which one is my room?”
Jackson wrinkled his nose as he smelled something foul. “You aren’t staying down here.”
“Oh?”
I heard footsteps before I saw them and Jackson ushered me to one side of the hall, allowing three figures to pass us on the other side. I didn’t recognize any of them, especially because one of them had a cloth over his head. I assumed it was a man because of his suit. He was flanked on either side by the Shadowed, almost as if they were holding him up. They nodded to Jackson and offered a slower, deliberate nod to me. With many of Shadowed aware of what I looked like, that would be another hurdle for me to overcome in our escape.
The one in the middle lurched forward and I reflexively reached out to stop him falling. The cloth started to slip from his head and one of the Shadowed pulled it back before his face was revealed, but I pulled my hand back as if it had been stung. The head of curly blond hair was unmistakable and coupled with the suit I knew exactly who they were escorting.
I darted quick glances up and down the hall. If I had found Robert, Jamie couldn’t be too far away.
The Shadowed who looked as if he just stepped off a runway gave me a tight smile. “Glad to see you have returned, Jackson. We’ve got it from here.” His eyes flicked to Jackson then to the other Shadowed.
I nodded and stepped back. They entered through a door and I made a mental note of the location. I turned to Jackson. He avoided my eyes but started in the other direction. I was clear on what I was supposed to know about this situation even though Jackson had told me everything he knew. I was to appear to be switched over to the Shadowed. A human hostage wouldn’t be of much interest.
We arrived at our destination almost ten minutes later after traveling through several maze-like corridors. Jackson navigated them with a raised chin and rigid posture. I mimicked him. He slowed as we neared the end of the hall at an ornate wooden door that looked as if it belonged in my home instead of an underground base for the Shadowed.
“Corporeal please,” Jackson said.
I blinked up at him and realized he wasn’t talking to me. Eight Shadowed manifested in front of us, their scythes looming over them They turned at the same time and backed away, allowing us in through the door. Jackson pressed down on the handle and it swung inward.
I gasped, taking in the bedroom. My bedroom. Even the fireplace was the same. I went into the room, my feet sinking into the plush carpet. I touched the nightstand which resembled the one I remembered. A burning candle flickered as my short breaths met the flame.
I blinked a few times.
“I thought this would make you feel the most comfortable,” Jackson said from behind me.
I pressed my hands into the soft mattress, leaning against it. He closed the door, hiding the Shadowed from my sight.
“This room is off limits to everyone except for you.”
“Not you?” I asked, excitement growing as I realized I had my own space.
“Anyone that you request can be here with you.”
“So if I wanted to kick you out?” I bit my lip, stifling a smile.
“Then I will leave.” He suppressed a grin.
I sat on the bed, taking in the room he had thoughtfully prepared for my arrival. He had known that I was going to return sometime. It amazed me how he was always a few steps ahead of everyone, much like the Shadowed. It was a trait that I had found unnerving when I had no idea who he was, but now it made me feel confident in our mission with him in charge of the plan.
“How come they were non-corporeal?” I asked, indicating the door where the Shadowed stood. “And why eight of them?”
“Abidan was testing you,” Jackson said in a low voice.
A chill crept down my spine.
“You passed though,” he added.
I looked toward the door. “Why?”
The door opened.
“Your constant persistence and loyalty to the Guard needed to be tested.”
I shot off the bed, coming face to face with Hannah. My heart rate quickened, threatening to pound out of my chest. I blinked away the memory of her sneer as she took Jackson’s human life. She pushed her inky black hair from her shoulder and slid her gaze from mine to Jackson’s.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she said with a mock pout.
I glanced at Jackson. “I thought this was my private room?”
“She’s right,” Jackson said, raising an eyebrow at Hannah. “He wanted her to be as comfortable as possible.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s why I’m here. You will have plenty of time to rot in this place. He wanted to see her the moment she arrived.” Even though she had a fake smile plastered to her face, her words were laced with venom, but I didn’t allow her desired intention to affect me.
I narrowed my eyes. “Lead the way.”
Hannah’s jaw clenched and she disappeared from the room.
I grinned at Jackson and he pressed his lips together. “I’m not saying you need to be best friends with her, but she is powerful. Just hold back your emotions a little bit, at least until you can get what we need.”
“Fine,” I said.
The corners of his mouth turned down and he looked at me through his thick eyelashes. “He wasn’t happy with her after the warehouse. It wasn’t part of the plan.”
I tilted my head. Was that something I could use?
Jackson’s eyes widened in a silent confirmation. I wasn’t sure if anyone was listening in, but I at least had one thing on Hannah. If she was already under scrutiny and I could earn the trust of Abidan then the plan should work without a hitch.
Jackson opened the door and I followed him out of my room.
We turned several corners, Hannah’s black hair disappearing around each had been our only beacon as she sprinted toward our destination. It’s not like I could get lost with Jackson by my side. She was being petulant but I vowed not to let it affect me. At the last corner, a tugging sensation, not unlike the essence that had been a constant companion over the past few months, directed my legs to pick up the pace. My body knew we had arrived at the correct place before I did and I stopped in front of a white door. It was like all the others in the hall but I knew this one was different. Hannah’s voice on the other side confirmed it.
Jackson knocked twice and it opened almost immediately. A massive Shadowed stood in the doorway at attention. His emerald eyes were unmoving as his hand motioned us to enter.
“Not him,” Hannah said, her words clipped. I turned to Jackson who remained outside of the door.
“He can be here,” I insisted.
“No,” a deep voice called from behind the door.
“It’s fine,” Jackson said, nodding to me. “I’ll be around.”
Around? I needed him here. What if I said something wrong?
Jackson mimed taking a breath and I did, untangling the knot in my stomach.
I glared at Hannah but stepped further into the room.
It was simply decorated but comfortable. Thick woven material hung from the ceiling cascading to the floor. When the door started to close and I was able to see Jackson’s optimistic expression one more time before it disappeared.
“Welcome Margaret,” that same deep voice called.
I cringed at my full name and scanned the room for Abidan. I found him lounging on the one of the couches in the middle of the room, when he stood, his head almost touched the nearly eight-foot tall ceiling. He was just as tall as Felix, but his milky skin was a stark contrast from my boss. His long black hair trailed down his back in a loose plait. His face was beautiful, like all the Caeleste, but it had been hardened. I’d heard stories about the Caeleste who left the After, but I’d never seen one. As he walked up to me, our connection flourished inside of me like a swarm of butterflies taking off.
From the way that everyone referred to him, I thought he would be dressed differently. Instead of pristine clothes like Felix insisted on wearing, he wore tan cloth pants and a white loose shirt. He looked like he had been a desert-dweller for a long time. Thinking about that, he probably had been. If the Guard were so intent on finding the Shadowed, no doubt they would be in search of the one who led them.
He offered his hand with a deep nod, “I am Abidan.” I narrowed my eyes, recognizing him as the Caeleste from the warehouse. He’d been there the night of Leha’s death and had done nothing to help her.
I lifted my hand and his rough fingers enveloped mine. The butterflies in my stomach calmed significantly, creating a sinking sensation in their wake as I stared into the depths of his golden eyes. Even though I’d seen those eyes on many of the Caeleste, being this close to the one who was my distant relative was different. My shoulders dropped. His welcoming expression made me feel like I had returned home after so many years of being lost.
His head tilted to the side as he moved his hand over mine and pulled me closer. “Let’s get acquainted, shall we?” His voice rumbled his body, the vibrating sensation traveling through me.
I nodded.
He led me to the back of the room and pushed aside one of the thick cloths from the wall revealing a hidden door. I heard Hannah move behind us but Abidan lifted a hand to stop her. Her lip curled but she said nothing.
Abidan turned without a second thought. Jackson had been right, Abidan wasn’t happy with Hannah’s insolence, something I could use to my advantage.
I held his arm tighter against me for fear of tripping over something in the darkness but I was surprised when the cloth fell back into place and the room remained dimly illuminated. The floor had a few slits in it, revealing light from below. He led me down a set of jagged stairs carved from the rock and my hands dropped to my sides as I took in the wondrous sight before me.
A body of water sparkled, giving off the same bluish light I’d seen from above. The ceiling was high and reflected the same light. He pointed to the far side of the rock ceiling. “We are close to the surface here. There are pockets in the rock that allow light to come through.
If we were close to the surface, I wondered if there was another route of escape through there. I’d have to pay close attention to any hidden doors, because leaving through Abidan’s room probably wouldn’t be the smartest idea but if it came down to it we might have to.
“How long have you lived here?” I asked.
“We took over this facility over fifty years ago. Our numbers had grown and I wanted to be able to house all of my followers.” He paused as if contemplating his next words. “The fact that you are here proves that you agree to join us, is that correct?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“There is no need for Guard formality down here. We are family. Call me Abidan.”
The word family had piqued my interest. “You were the one who started my line, is that right?”
He smiled proudly. “I see Jackson didn’t give you a history lesson.”
“He offered,” I lied. “But I wanted to hear it from the source. There are some things that I’m assuming are kept in the family.”
He regarded me. “I am the one who started the line that you are a part of. Before we came to this Realm, there was a divide among the Caeleste. Our leader regulated our food source, favoring those who proved their loyalty to him, leaving villages of Caeleste starving and dying.” Abidan spoke as if the scene were unfolding right before his eyes. “My brother, Noah, was a Rodas like you. He and a few others would take rations to those who were the most in need, including our family. When this supposed treason was found out, there was an After-wide search to root out all traitors to the cause and make an example of them.” His gaze softened. “Noah had risked himself to save us, so I made the decision to save him and some of the other Rodas who were in mortal danger. No Caeleste had ever dared to go to the Living Realm, but that was our only choice. We didn’t know if we would survive but we had to try. I would rather have died with Noah than watch him suffer that fate.”
I sensed our familial link as he spoke. Jackson had commented many times how spirited and passionate I was, but Abidan was the very essence of those emotions. His presence was mesmerizing. But I caught myself. He was the enemy.
“We gathered roughly fifty Caeleste and found an entrance to this Realm.”
“Gate Seven?”
“There was no Gate Seven. There never was a defined barrier between Realms. We coexisted peacefully, never crossing over. But when we left, Gate Seven was created as a way to block us from our home. There didn’t used to be Soul Collectors and Guard. That was all created to keep us out.”
“How did souls make it to the After before that?”
“After death, a soul went in search of its True Soul which was kept with the Rodas. After those Caeleste found out how we survived here, they once again tightened their grip on souls. When half of our original group started to die, Noah and several other Rodas figured out that we were able to feed from souls who were still inside their bodies.” His eyes stared at the water as if he were seeing something I couldn’t. “It’s not something I am proud to do but it was either that or die.”
“Did you try to go back?”
“We tried but were refused entrance to our home.”
I thought of the last time I’d seen Gate Seven and a shiver crept down my spine. “Is that why you tried to destroy it?”
His gaze narrowed. “Yes,” he replied honestly. “Do you find it fair that those souls out there will never be with their True Soul? They are turned out of their rightful home and that is because of me. It took me some time to realize the consequences of my actions, which is why I have striven to make up for what I’ve done to my followers. They deserve to have their place in the After and I am going to give it to them.”
I rubbed my sweaty palms over my pants. “Where do I fit into all of this? I don’t have the Rodas powers anymore. At least not until next year.”
“There is a way for you to manifest your powers sooner than that. And if you help us, we can return all those innocent souls out there to their rightful home.”
I hesitated, taking in all the new information.
“I don’t want to unfairly sway you, but Felix was one of those who wanted to destroy the Rodas. Who is to say when you transform that he will welcome you where you rightfully belong? There needs to be a change and I believe that you and I will be instrumental in that.”
I remembered how Felix had looked defeated when he had told me what I was. “But why wouldn’t he have destroyed me over the past hundred years?”
“Even if you had a child that you weren’t proud of, would you destroy it?”
The Caeleste were a close-knit group with a particular affinity for the Prognatum. “I suppose not.”
“I will tell you anything you want to know. That is where those Caeleste and I are different. I will never lie to you.”
“If I can’t trust Felix, why should I trust you?” I wasn’t sure if I was stepping out of bounds but my humanity overcame my desire to walk on eggshells. If I was going to find out anything it wouldn’t happen if I was easily persuaded. And I sensed Abidan knew that.
“You are nothing like them. You don’t belong with those who will stifle your rightful powers. As much as you think you are like the humans, you are much more. And you have compassion. Why are the Collected souls any better than these ones that I care for? I didn’t make a mistake in saving my race, I am just trying to make it right for those that I have harmed.”
His golden eyes were unmoving as he waited for my response. I had been torn in two between my need to protect my after-life home and my family. Even though I had just met Abidan, I knew he intended to help the Shadowed, but I also sensed he was withholding information. And my new plan formed. I needed to get that information before I could think of leaving this place. Even though it was the only thing I wanted to do now that I had met my extended family.