I tried to recapture my train of thought.
“Knight, I just want you to know that I am glad you are okay. I can get over a lot of things given time—even what happened with,” gulp, “Kai. But I may not be alive if not for you, and I know that I would never be this alive if not for you. You’ve made me a better person, and you shouldn’t fear uncertainty with your magic. You’ll figure it out. You always do.” I put my hand over hers for a moment, then felt weird and withdrew it.
A beat passed. She met my eyes anew. “Thank you, Daniel.”
“For the pep talk?”
“For everything.”
Another long moment hung between us before she cleared her throat. “So . . . even after the amount of power Arian forced me to rise to, you genuinely don’t think it’s impossible for me to rein it in?”
“Maybe it is impossible,” I responded. “But impossible things can still happen. In Wonderland, the White Queen and White King told us to imagine six impossible things by breakfast. It doesn’t bum them out to think about absurd challenges with tiny odds; it pumps them up because if you believe in those crazy things, it’s like starting your day with strong perseverance at the helm. I think that’s kind of cool. Maybe we should try it?”
“List six impossible things?” Knight said. “Sure. But I hope it’s okay that I already ate breakfast, and that you go first.”
“Okay,” I said, straightening up. “I’ve got it. One: I can be the greatest captain of a Twenty-Three Skidd team that Lord Channing’s has ever seen.”
She smiled. “All right. Well then, two: I will graduate top of my class at Lady Agnue’s.”
I nodded as my mind wandered to something more serious. “Three: I’ll get over Kai and someday find the person who is really my true love.”
Crisa nodded solemnly herself. “Four . . . I can control the magic inside me and use it to save the realm and stop the antagonists.”
We locked eyes. “Five,” I said assuredly. “I’ll find a way to make sure every person I care for survives the climax that’s coming.”
Crisa looked away.
“Knight?” I said after a moment. I leaned forward again and rested my clasped hands on her bed. “You get the sixth one.”
“I know,” she said thoughtfully. “But in retrospect, I don’t think I need it. We really can do all those things, can’t we?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I think we can. You sure you don’t want to throw in one more impossible thing though? I know how much you like to have the last word.”
She thought on it, tapping her chin. “Can it be an impossible thing that has already happened?”
“Um, yeah I guess so.”
“Okay, then I have just the one.” She leaned forward and placed a hand over mine. “Six: you and me. People who couldn’t stand each other becoming people who would risk death, travel realms, and do anything for each other.”
I didn’t withdraw my hand right away this time. I sat there in silence as I absorbed her, and the weight of her observation. That was one of my favorite impossible things too.
had been really anxious about telling Crisa about Jason and me. Not because I wasn’t happy about it, but because it felt kind of weird to be like, “Hey, while you were being tortured in another dimension, I was making a love connection.”
I leaned my head against the outside of the infirmary room doors and sighed. Jason put his hand on my shoulder. “You’re making too big a deal out of this.”
“Don’t you know I make too big a deal out of everything?”
“Yes. But my stomach still fills with butterflies and other romantic nonsense when I look at you, so I’m good with that. I just don’t want you to drive yourself crazy.”
I looked at him and kissed him on the cheek. “Good point, especially when I already have you to drive me crazy.” I smiled and then refocused on the infirmary. “Okay, I can do this.”
I thrust open the doors. Crisa was reading in bed. Twilight spilled through the windows. Lanterns and candles made the room glow tranquilly like a spa. Crisa looked up and smiled at us.
“Hey, Blue. Hey, Jason.”
“Hey, friend,” I said, sitting down awkwardly at the foot of her bed, fidgeting with my hands. Jason remained standing.
Crisa shot him a look. “What’s her deal?”
“Give her a second.”
“So, the thing is . . .” I started, still wringing my hands. “Well, I mean, Jason and I . . . The two of us as a group, but also alone—”
“Ugh, I’m being tortured again,” Crisa said with a roll of her eyes. “Blue, why are you so freaked out? What’s the situation?”
“We’re a situation,” I finally declared, gesturing between Jason and myself. “We have decided to endeavor into a coupling.”
Crisa glanced at Jason again. “Seriously?”
“Yup.”
Her eyes darted to me. “And you’re not having any doubts?”
“Who, me?”
Jason gave me a look.
“I did before, but not anymore.” I took Jason’s hand. “I have a story. He has a story. And we also have a story together. It’s that simple.”
“Well, it’s about dang time!” Crisa said enthusiastically. “Here I was thinking I was going to blow people’s minds with my news, but this is way cooler.” That’s when she noticed the journal in Jason’s hand. “Hang on, is that . . .”
“Your dream journal,” Jason replied. “I’ve been holding onto it since Dreamland. Only Pietro looked inside briefly, hoping for clues about your location. I hope you don’t mind?”
“Um, no. I understand.”
He handed her the book and continued. “Once you’re well enough to get to work, we’re all dying to know how your visions of the future tie in with Mark and saving Natalie Poole.”
“Yeah. Yeah, of course,” she said, flipping through the book, still in awe.
I scrunched my eyebrows; my brain had caught on something. “What news were you talking about a minute ago?” I asked. “I know you’ve been reluctant to go into detail about your time on Earth, but did something important happen you haven’t mentioned?”
Crisa stopped. For a long pause she didn’t look at us. Then she shut the book. “You know that pushing my magic on Earth caused all aspects of my power to grow; that’s why I was able to contact you guys in your dreams with increasing clarity.”
I nodded.
“Well, I haven’t wanted to bring it up because there’s been a lot going on, but . . . pushing my magic so hard has caused me to develop the ability to see prophecies like the Author does. You know—the rhyming, future-predicting couplets that appear at the start of our protagonist books. I’ve only gotten a few so far for random people I’ve never even heard of. But still, that’s pretty major. Past that . . . while I was on Earth my enhanced magic allowed me to reach Natalie Poole in her dreams with a lot more impact. Now I have a plan for her, and I know where she is.”
Jason’s mouth hung agape. Mine did too.
“I’m sorry, run all that by me one more time?” I said.
“I will,” Crisa replied. “However, this is a much longer discussion in the making, so I think it’d be best if I explained my full revelations and intentions to everyone together.”
“Well geez, Crisa,” I said. “You went and blurted all that out. Can we at least get a preview of what you’re thinking?”
Crisa crossed her arms. “How’s this for a preview? Our enemies are prepping for the culmination of their plans, we have powerful allies in multiple realms, my magic is stronger than ever, and we’re in a position to cross worlds and find the girl that’s key to all of this. Seems like a good time for a finale, don’t you think?”
END OF BOOK EIGHT
About the Author
Geanna Culbertson is the award-winning author of The Crisanta Knight Series. The series has been featured in Girls’ Life Magazine as recommended reading for preteen and teen girls, and is an ongoing supporter of Girls on th
e Run, Read to a Child, and Girl Scouts of the USA. In the last few years Culbertson has been a regular speaker at schools across the country for an array of age groups (from elementary schools to major universities).
Culbertson is a proud alumna of the University of Southern California where she earned her B.A. in Public Relations and triple minor degrees in Marketing, Cinematic Arts, and Critical Approaches to Leadership. She is a part of only 1.3% of her graduating class to earn the double distinction of Renaissance Scholar and Discovery Scholar. Her Discovery Scholar thesis “Beauty & the Badass: Origins of the Hero-Princess Archetype” earned her acclaim in the School of Cinematic Arts and helped fuel her female protagonist writing passions.
When she is not writing, Culbertson enjoys pursuing tasty foods, working out, and adventure. During her time authoring this series she excelled as a manager at one of the country’s top digital marketing agencies, earned her black belt, taught karate to kids, learned the piano, and graduated as a certified sushi chef. As she forges ahead into writing the finale of this series, she is delving into the study of archery and new languages.
Culbertson wishes to thank all fans, allies, and supporters of her series. At the start of this journey, before Book One was even published, her first and foremost hope was that this series would bring others the joy and inspiration her favorite series bring to her. When she reads reviews from fans in the US, the UK, India, Malaysia, and many other countries around the globe, it fills her with great gratitude, happiness, and increased magical writer powers!
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