Vincent shook his head. "That's not the way it works, and you know it. We take away only what needs to be removed."
"And now you think I need to be removed," Cole said.
"You're killing innocent people."
"The Lost are no more innocent than they are people."
It took a large amount of restraint not to give Cole a piece of my mind. Logan had the stone box and I hoped he was ready.
"You can't continue like this."
"Let's get on with it then!" Cole lurched forward and tried to grab Vincent.
Vincent dodged out of the way. "We don't have to do this. We can talk this out."
"I've helped so many people," Cole snarled. "You have no idea."
He launched himself at Vincent. Vincent grabbed Cole’s outstretched hand. They stopped moving, but in the Path, I could see their struggle. There was a sway in the energy around each man. It was like a churning tide, the energy flowed back and forth. With all the sparks of souls trapped inside him, Cole had the upper hand. Slowly, Vincent's aura began to drain away into Cole.
"No!" I yelled moving towards the two.
Cole was taken off guard and Vincent was able to regain some ground. Without thinking, I grabbed Cole's arm as soon as he was in range. Little sparks of life leaped from Cole, eager to be free of him. He looked stricken as their power left and he shoved me to the ground. When he looked up, he saw Logan and Rider moving forward, more cautiously than I had been.
Cole's eyes turned black, and a grin broke across his face. "Time to take this to a more private location."
Picking myself off the ground, I reached out again towards Cole. He took a step away and jerked Vincent towards him, locked arm and arm. There was a rapid buildup of energy around them and the Path began to twist.
They were going between the worlds.
I wasn't letting Cole get away that easily. I certainly didn't want Vincent to be swept away between the worlds with him. The traces of their Paths stood out, but they twisted with the Path surrounding them, ready to move out of this dimension.
I grabbed the familiar imprint of Vincent. Forcing power through, I made his Path solid and firmly locked it in place. Cole was more difficult. His Path tried to escape my grasp, but I wouldn't allow it. Refusing to think they might be gone, I slammed even more power into my work, making Cole's Path solid. Holding on tightly, I wrenched them back from the energy that Cole had amassed to make his escape.
Both men stumbled and they broke apart. Before Cole could get his bearings, Rider was on him.
When Rider hit him a second time, Cole was knocked to the ground. From there, Cole reached for Rider's leg.
Logan took Cole's foot and dragged him back, as Rider retreated. Cole kicked out and jumped to his feet when Logan let go. Cole's hand clamped around Logan's arm.
My heart spasmed when Logan's essence poured into Cole. That sunny golden energy was racing away. Vincent yelled out before slamming into the two of them, breaking them apart.
Cole was too strong, so I decided to bring him down a notch. I jumped into the fray, grabbing hold of Cole's arm. The remaining souls of the Lost, at least those not tethered down, jumped to me. When I tried to reach for Cole's soul, I realized I was no Walker. I could see it and even feel it, but it was his soul and it wasn't budging.
"You stupid bitch!" Cole squeezed my arm while I clung to his.
Chapter 35
I could feel myself weaken quickly. The specks that belonged to the Lost tried to stay with me, but they were being dragged in as well. Then a fragment like fire and ice shifted.
Cold poured through my body and Cole's black eyes widened. He tried to pull away, but I bore down harder. That cold, dark piece of the void was retreating from me. Cole swung his fist into my side and we broke contact.
The damage was already done.
The void had come out of me, but it had not passed into Cole. It was out.
The small piece hung in the air at the top of the hill. The world paused as though taking a breath, and all eyes were on the tiny ball of darkness that lingered in the air. A small breeze picked up. Within seconds, the air turned wilder, pulling at our clothes as it dragged past us. Soon, the wind roared through and was sucked into the dark mass. I could see the little spot grow larger.
Images and emotional vines of the Path were also being sucked in. Cole and I were the closest to the whirling mass. I could see the terror on his face as we clung to each other.
Managing to take few steps away was all I could muster; the strength of the object was too strong. With Cole's help, we managed to push a further step away before being overpowered and we began to slide the other way. We each tightened our grip and tried harder, but we weren't having any luck. Cole looked across the clearing, then at me, and I could see his fear.
When he let go, I tightened my grip, but he easily pried himself away from me. He spoke, but the sound was lost, and it was too late.
I watched in horror as Cole was torn apart before my eyes. There was nothing left of him.
As the void fed, it became stronger. My mind went blank after watching Cole disappear, but it sprung back into action when I felt myself being dragged in. Looking around, I could see that my friends were having the same problem.
Panic welled when I swept the clearing for Logan. Had he been pulled in? Rider was further away. It looked like he was trying to work his way over to me, but I could tell he would never make it. With each step he took, he slid closer to the void. Vincent was on the other side of the clearing, trying to maintain his footing. He was yelling, but the sound, like everything else, was lost in the swirling mass.
In the Path, I tried to tie myself to the ground. Shoving energy down, I rooted to the spot. The void tugged, and ties to the Path wavered while my mind groped with what could be done.
An indistinguishable barrage of words came from behind me. A large chunk of granite sped past my head and sunk into the depths of the void. I held my breath and wondered if throwing the box in do anything?
Nothing happened.
My mind groped again for a solution. What could we do? Would the world be swallowed completely?
Feeling a hand on my arm, I tried to turn, but the strength of the force in front of me wouldn't allow it.
Logan yelled in my ear, but only part of the sound reached me. "...wrap it... girl..."
Wrap it up. Maybe he meant the Path. The little pearl of void that started this whirlwind had been trapped in me, and it held pretty well. Was it possible to do that again?
The last time I absorbed the void it had been a struggle, but it had held together like any other soul. There was no way to absorb the monstrosity now; it would tear me to shreds.
If I could re-anchor it, like our original plan, it might work.
Gripping hard, I took the sea turtle out of my pocket. Holding the smoothly worked stone in my hand, I concentrated hard on the Path.
My root of power was strong, doing its work to keep me grounded. Rider was sliding dangerously close to the tempest that the void had become. Working fast, I made a wall of air around myself, but it was torn apart, and the power fell into the void.
The idea of trying to block the Path of the whirlwind was tossed out as well; the energy would be sucked up. How could all this happen?
The pull of void was becoming stronger as it gained more fuel from the Path and the world around us. Vincent was pulled closer. Rider didn't have much more time either. I had to act.
The Path roared past and I grabbed hold. Strings of emotions and memories slowed. Past and present images of the Path melded together, but their trail to the void stalled while real world objects flew by.
Holding the stone, I concentrated on the unwavering root of power holding me to the ground. When I stepped forward, it moved with me, and my foundation stayed strong. Concentrating hard on the Path of the chunk of granite in my hand, I managed to stop it from being dragged away from me.
My next step brought pain. Was this what
Cole had gone through?
This would have to be close enough. The void had to create a Path of its own, even if it destroyed it as fast as it was being created. Reading its Path, I targeted an area and drew it to me. The pain grew greater. Without thinking, I pushed part of the Path into the real world, anchoring my body down. The pain lessened, and the void grew nearer.
I yanked on the Path of the void and wound it around my turtle. The granite soaked it in. It didn't take long before the void rushed into the turtle. I guided it forward. The pull of the void lessened. The Path stilled first. Then the outside world quieted as I guided the last vestiges into our rock.
Turning the stone repeatedly in my hands, I searched for leaks. Once I was assured our turtle would hold, I shoved away the Path and looked around for my partners.
I felt jittery. The air was motionless, but having spent more power than I had expected, I was wavering. Vincent heaved himself off the ground across the clearing. Rider was wide eyed. There were ruts in the ground where he had been dragged forward. Logan moved around from behind me. It looked like he was talking, but there was nothing but the rush of wind filling my ears.
Logan reached out to inspect the turtle. It was hard for me to release my grip on the statue, but once I did, I knew I didn't want to hold it anymore.
The struggle was over, but my body wasn't so sure. I have to say, I was more than a little relieved when normal sounds returned. Vincent looked shaky when he reached us. He gave a cursory look at the turtle before trying to pull me into a hug. I returned it the best I could, but I was stuck to the spot.
The Path was no longer open to me, but when I looked down, I could see its familiar shimmer engulfing my feet and legs.
"What is it?" Vincent asked as he walked around me.
"It's the Path." My voice was as shaky as I felt. "I'm not sure how it happened. I needed to hold myself down."
"Can you step out of it?" Vincent asked.
I tried to lift my legs, but they weren't budging. Exhaustion was clouding my mind, but the Path shining brightly in the physical world fascinated me.
Rider came over and laid on the ground inspecting it from the ground up. He eyed it for a while before reaching out and touching it. His finger sunk through.
Vincent ran his hand over the surface, but it remained solid for him.
"It's like glass," Vincent muttered watching Rider.
Rider experimented with the substance. He pushed his hand through in a few different areas, then took my foot and pulled it out. He freed the other foot, and we all inspected the results. There was not a trace of Path left on me, but it remained locked to the ground.
I sat down next to the shimmer. It wasn't flowing the way it does when it overlays the world. I closed my eyes.
"You think you should be doing that now?" Logan asked. He was squatting down next to the new creation.
My muscles were weak, and I was starting to feel numb. "I know it needs to be done."
He looked reluctant but didn't voice another objection.
I closed my eyes again, and stretched out, over the swarms of soul fragments, and into the Path. "It looks the same. Let me try to move it back to its original form."
It wouldn't budge. When I added more power, the world appeared to shudder and sparks flared in my vision. It was a good thing I was already sitting. When I laid my hands on the solid Path, I could feel it had sprouted tendrils and rooted itself into the ground. Getting out of the Path was a strain, and when I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see that I hadn't fallen over.
"It's firmly in this world," I said. "I'm not sure what to do with it."
"We're on MyTH property," Logan said. "I think we can cover it up and leave it here for now."
"It doesn't belong here," I said. "Are we comfortable with MyTH taking it?"
"Good to see you thinking it through." Logan looked up at Rider and Vincent. "What do you all think?"
"I think that we should keep this," Rider said. "We do not know what this could be used for."
Logan looked to Vincent for his opinion, but Vincent was staring into nothing, looking lost in thought.
"First thing we'll need to do," Logan said, "is to dig this up. Rider, are you good for a few more hours."
"I am fine," Rider said.
"Good, I'll call Jonathan and have him bring us a few shovels. Vincent." Logan spoke a little louder when Vincent didn't respond. "Vincent."
"Yes, I'm good for a while longer," Vincent said.
"Good, you can drive Cassie home," Logan said.
There was no use arguing, I wasn't sure I could stay awake long enough to help. Reaching out, I drew my hand along the creation of the Path. What could this be used for? It was beautiful, but what would we do with it?
Vincent offered me a hand. "Come on, Cass, I'll take you home."
I blinked at the hand before deciding I could make it as far as the truck. He helped me to my feet. I swayed briefly before catching my balance.
"What do we tell work?" I asked.
"We stick to the truth, but this," Logan indicated the solid Path, "stays out of it. Also, there are no such things as leprechauns." Logan eyed Vincent before continuing. "Also, I think it's better all around if we say Cole wasn't a Walker. He can be an unknown."
"Thank you," Vincent said.
"Don't thank me yet," Logan said. "You've both got mandatory psych evaluations coming up."
"What?" My anger didn't have much chance to rise amid the exhaustion.
"Nothing I can do about it. After what happened to the two of you, it's protocol. Go home and get some rest. We'll get together soon to debrief."
I wanted to say something, but I had no idea what was left to say. Vincent tried to lead me away when I remembered.
"The turtle," I said, "I'll take care of it."
Logan turned the turtle over in his hands. "I thought we might leave this in the hands of MyTH. Neil seems to know a lot about how this thing works."
"All the more reason for us to take it," I said.
Looking reluctant, Logan handed the chunk of carved granite over to me. "For now, but we'll talk more about this later."
A wave of vertigo rolled over me when I took the turtle. Luckily, I was holding Vincent's arm, so I stayed on my feet. Once the feeling passed, I put the stone in my pocket and walked away with Vincent.
Chapter 36
In the truck, it was a struggle to stay awake, but I knew I needed to, at least for a while. It was dark, except for the occasional passing car, and it was quiet except for the rush of the wind.
Once we were a few miles away, I broke our silence. "I'm sorry about Cole."
"He wasn't my friend in the end." Vincent's voice was low and tinged with regret.
"I think he was, though. Deep down."
Vincent shook his head but didn't say anything.
I knew if I didn't tell Vincent now, I might never tell him. "We were being sucked in." I tried to be careful with my words, so it came out slower than I intended. "Cole was closer, and he saw you across the clearing. We were holding on to each other, but... I think he thought he was pulling me in, so he let go. I tried to stop him, but he made me let go of him."
Still, Vincent said nothing.
"I'm sorry." I wasn't tearing up over the man that had killed so many Lost, but I felt remorse for the loss of the man Cole must have been when he had been friends with Vincent.
Vincent took some time before replying. It looked like he was digesting that information.
"Thank you for that," he said.
For a while, I watched him out of the corner of my eye, looking for signs of mourning, then for any emotion, but he was a blank slate. Dropping any pretense, I twisted in my seat and looked at him directly. Only then, could I see the slightly downturned lips and the creases around eyes that were brighter than normal.
"I'm not sure what you did out there tonight," Vincent said, "but you have to be tired. Why don't you get some sleep?"
That was an
understatement. "I wanted you to know about Cole, and make sure you were okay."
Vincent swallowed and looked at me briefly before turning back to the road. "Get some sleep, Cass."
I watched him for a while, but at some point, my eyelids closed and I was sound asleep.
When Vincent woke me up, I was more tired than I had been. How could that even happen? When I slid out of the truck, I used the door to steady myself.
"It's going to be nice to sleep in my own bed again," I said as I wavered on the way to the door.
"Are you going to make it inside?" Vincent asked. "Maybe I should see you in."
"What are you talking about?" I asked. "Aren't you staying here?"
Vincent hovered. "There's a hotel nearby in town. I'll go there for the night."
"Don't be ridiculous," I snapped, opening the door. "All your stuff is upstairs in your room." In my mind, even if he only lived here a short while, it would always be his room.
"My room?" He sounded amused by that.
Still, he locked the door and didn't argue.
"Help yourself to anything," I said. "Gran will be home tomorrow, now that we know no one is after her."
"I'm sorry I started all this."
"You know it's not your fault. We all know that. You are not responsible for what Cole did."
Vincent kept a close eye on me on the way upstairs, but he didn't say anything.
At my door, I hesitated. "There's something I wanted to ask."
He looked wary. "Okay."
"When Cole tried to pull my soul," I stopped swallowing hard at the thought, "he sensed the void shard coming out and he was scared."
"Of course he would be," Vincent said. "He knew what it was and what it can do to a person. Taking that in would swallow him from the inside out."
"Wouldn't he have had to taken it once to put it into the thing Jin used to keep me from the Path?"
In the dim light of the hall, I could see Vincent trying to think that over. "It couldn't have been him," Vincent said cautiously. "There's no way that a Walker could have taken a part of the void. I didn't think anyone could."
Broken Paths (AIR Book 2) Page 29