by Jon Chaisson
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
cho-nyhndah
The light faded to a calm, enveloping darkness. The turbulent ocean of noise receded into near silence, broken only by shallow breathing. Denni regained her sense of balance and felt the ground slowly rising up to meet her again. She felt cold tile on her back and the damp of a cloth on her forehead. She felt a pain in her lower back, the remnants of the strain she had exerted on it during flight. She lay there with a stupid half-grin on her face, trying to figure out the logic of that — she had flown.
Denysia? Can you focus?
The sound of Akaina’s voice shook her completely awake. Where was she? Was she back at school? Was Amna still with her?
“Ah…” she croaked. “Amna?”
“I’m here.”
She opened her eyes with relief. She had moved from the third floor restroom to a small, darkened room elsewhere in the school. A faint smell of bleach and mildew lingered in the air. The door was open slightly, letting in fresh air and a sliver of light that bounced against a large dented metal cabinet. Definitely a janitor’s closet. She turned again and saw the faint outline of Amna’s thin frame hovering over her, a wisp of black hair hanging over her right shoulder. She was peeking through the narrow opening, keeping an eye out for anyone coming.
“Thanks,” she managed.
“Scared the shit out of me, Den,” Amna said in an exasperated whisper. “What the hell happened?”
Denni?
I’m awake now, she said to Akaina. Focused as I’ll ever be… She frowned at the pain in her joints as she attempted to push herself up. Back at the school.
“Who are you talking to now?” Amna asked. “I can hear them.”
“Friend of my sister’s,” she said. “They’re coming here. They’re picking me up.”
“Thought I lost you for a moment there,” Amna said, and let out a quick snort. “You’re awfully heavy deadweight, you know that?”
She gave her a feeble laugh. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Amna pushed herself off her knees and sat cross-legged on the floor. She took Denni’s hand and squeezed it tight, her wordless show of affection and concern; the only way she ever truly showed those emotions. She reached over and took the damp cloth from Denni’s forehead, tossed it into the sink behind her, and with her wet hand she pushed back the loose strands of Denni’s hair from her face. Denni noticed, now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkened room, that Amna’s eyes were moist from tears.
So what happened?
Denni pursed her lips. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather tell you out loud.”
Who was that? Akaina popped into her head. For the moment she’d forgotten she was still there. She held up a hand at Amna to hold her thoughts.
Friend of mine, Akaina, she said. She’s keeping an eye on me.
We’ll be there in a few minutes, she answered. Can she stay there with you?
Amna nodded quickly. Denni blushed in the semidarkness, not used to such loyalty. She relayed the consent to Akaina, adding a special message to send to Caren, telling her not to worry, and heard nothing more.
“So?” Amna said, smirking. “Are we going to stay hidden in here until your sister comes and picks you up?”
Denni sniffed at the tone of her comment. “How long were we away?”
Amna checked her watch. “A good half hour, I think.”
She laughed in spite of herself. “Oops. I’m sure we can find a decent excuse by the time we get sent to the office.” With a final grunt she pushed herself up until they were both back on their feet, ready to escape the cramped closet. She felt Amna by her side, arm around her waist, guiding her to the door, leading them back into dull reality. Thankfully, no one had been in this hallway either, so anyone entering now would have seen a class rep walking an ill student to the nurse’s office. Denni frowned, wondering why her friend was acting so out of character. Showing flourishes of genuine emotion, going out of her way to take care of her, making sure no one saw them, moving as quietly as possible…on any other day, Amna would have done the same, but she would have made a production out of it in her usual boisterous way. She appreciated the attention, but it was just so unlike her.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Denni asked as a way to fill the awkward silence. “When I fainted, I mean.”
“No,” she answered quietly. “Shaken, more than anything else. Um…you didn’t tell me what happened.”
Denni nodded. “Just between the two of us, okay? And aloud, because I don’t know who’s listening.”
Amna frowned. “Den, if I overstepped a boundary —”
“No, no, that’s…that was fine,” she said quickly, her face hot. “In fact, you pointed out something important. If you could hear me, then anyone can.” She paused again, letting out a long sigh. “And I don’t think that would be a good idea right now, given the last few days.”
She told Amna all she could remember in the conversation with Ampryss and where she had gone and what she’d seen. In retelling the events, she tried to understand them herself, wondering why she’d been able to do so many things she thought impossible, even for a Mendaihu. Especially a Mendaihu with her incredible lack of experience. She had understood exactly what was going on and what she would need to do next…but how did she know this? Had she come up with it herself, or had the spirit of the One of All Sacred done that for her? Who had been in charge then?
How had she been able to soar above the heavens and into near space to look over the entire planet? And what exactly did she do, once she returned to Bridgetown? It wasn’t her, mentally, that had made the decision to stop the awakening ritual; nor was it her idea to misdirect the nuhm’ndah that she somehow knew were in the area, triangulating her spirit signature in their attempt to kidnap her. Or was it?
What had happened? And why did her body feel drained of energy when her mind and spirit were radiant and overflowing with it? She wasn’t fully in control of her spirit, not yet. Balance…she desperately needed to find that balance in between.
Karinna, she thought, wishing her sister here as soon as possible. Perhaps Caren could explain this duality to her.
“Denni?” Amna said after a long silence. “I know it kind sounds weird, but…” She paused again and blushed. So totally unlike her. “I…I need to come with you. No, don’t question it. I can feel it, Den. I hear my soul singing, and it’s so loud right now. I can’t…” She caught her voice, forcing back tears. “I can’t lose you right now.”
Denni caught her breath…she knew. Goddess, Amna fully believe she truly was the One of All Sacred, and she wasn’t going to question it. A hell of a lot was happening to her in a short amount of time, and Amna’s conviction only sealed this fate of theirs. Neither had grown up second-guessing their own Mendaihu spirits, so she wasn’t about to question what Amna’s soul was singing. She obviously feared for Amna’s own safety, but she also welcomed her.
“…taftika iedha,” she said quietly. “You are always welcome.”
Amna did not respond, but only held her tighter.