Chapter 14

The Seed danced within me as we stood up, singing its long-lost songs to my soul. Ka-ma-la gestured for us to form a circle, but I was barely aware as she pulled us up and we travelled. It had been such a long time since I’d felt it so strongly, and I could do nothing else but follow where it wanted me to go.

We landed in an abandoned industrial area, and Ka-ma-la gestured for us to follow her. Se-le-ni looked at me as we walked, seemingly asking where we were going, but I only shrugged. I didn’t know where she was taking us, but I knew that the Seed would lead us right. Ka-ma-la halted before a run-down building with its roof partly collapsed.

“It’s here.”

I nodded, knowing that she felt it just as I did. We followed her inside. It must have once been used by human squatters, because there were two sofas and a table in the corner, but it had been a long time since. Ka-ma-la gestured for me, and I knew what I had to do.

I let the Seed dance up my arms and into my hands, drawing a circle around us that would protect us for as long as we were here. It would not stop Bo-lo-to from finding us, but it would keep humans away for as long as we were here.

Once done, we sat down on the sofas and Joshua said,

“So, how do we do it?”

“Leave it to us, we know”, Hamid assured him.

He took hold of Na-sh-dara’s hand, and they closed their eyes and began to sing. It was a high-pitched tune, so melodic, it made my heart shiver. A glimmering chord emerged from their joined hands, dancing in the air before us before shooting through the collapsed roof. They kept singing, and the Seed sang with it until the day turned into evening outside. Only then did their song fade, and they opened their eyes.

“It is done”, Hamid announced.

“Now what?”, Se-le-ni asked impatiently.

“Now we wait. We will know once it’s found Bo-lo-to, and then our journey will begin.”

I glanced at Ka-ma-la, but she was communicating with the Seed by the looks of it, and so I stayed quiet.

“How long?”, Joshua asked.

“You’ll never know, you can’t rush these things”, Hamid chided.

Joshua sighed and got up. I felt the Seed calling for my attention, and I closed my eyes to hear it better. It whispered to me, telling tales I had not heard. My heart sank the more I heard, but I knew I couldn’t stop it. When it was done, I opened my eyes. They landed on Se-le-ni. My stomach twisted in anxiety, but I knew there wasn’t much time, and so I gestured for her to follow me. She peered at me, confused, but did as I asked, and we went to stand in the corner, out of earshot from the others.

“What do you think?", she asked, nodding her head in the direction of the others.

“The Seed consents.”

She nodded. She didn’t understand it, I knew, but she would trust it, just like the others. I took a deep breath. I could not prolong it any longer.

“I…”, I began.

She cocked her head at my hesitation.

“I will need to leave”, I said.

Her eyes went wide, and I knew she understood what it meant.

“The Seed has instructed me to go somewhere. There are things I need to do.”

“Not now!”

She cried out, then glanced at the others before turning back to me.

“Why?”, she whispered.

I thought I heard her sob, but her eyes remained dry, and I dared to reach out to take her hand.

“You know I have to. I…”

I could not not go. When the Seed called, you followed.

“I will come back, I promise.”

“When?”

The first tear rolled down her cheek, and it took me by surprise. She had never once shown her feelings for me.

“I don’t know…”

I squeezed her hand gently in mine, and more tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Se-le-ni, I…”

I hesitated, but the calling was so strong in me, I couldn’t resist it.

“I love you.”

She looked up at me with tear-stained eyes.

“I want to be with you, and we will, I promise.”

She sniffled.

“It’s not fair.”

It wasn’t. Not after all these centuries apart, and now, when we’d finally begun to acknowledge what we felt for each other, I would leave.

“I love you”, I said again.

“I love you too”, she sobbed.

She threw herself around me, and I held her as she cried into my shoulder. I stroked her hair, but I knew we had no time.

“Go gentle with Na-sh-dara”, I chuckled.

I felt the Seed calling me, and I released my hold on her.

“It’s time.”

She nodded, wiped her eyes, and I walked over to the others. Ka-ma-la glanced at me, already knowing what I had to do. Hamid was about to open his mouth, then saw Se-le-ni and closed it again.

“I need to go”, I said as I halted before them.

“Now? When all the fun starts?”, Hamid blurted out.

Joshua looked at me, shocked, but I knew he wouldn’t argue. Only Na-sh-dara sat quietly. I hoped Se-le-ni would take good care of her.

“Until next time”, Ka-ma-la said, and I nodded.

I turned and cast one last glance at Se-le-ni. She refused to look away and held my gaze until I turned and walked to the door. I let the protection I’d cast go to Ka-ma-la, and she took it, transferring the power to her hands. I took hold of the handle, took a deep breath, and stepped out.