A few minutes later, Oralie is sitting next to me and Sophie on the pillow mound.
“What was the idea again?” She asks.
“I enhance you, then you can send some calmness to Lori. Keefe was able to do it, and it was pretty instinctual for him, so you should be able to figure it out once I start enhancing you.”
“Ok, I can try. And Sophie?”
“What?”
“I’m glad you reached out to me.”
“Ok, let’s just start already.” Sophie turns on her enhancing, and I can immediately feel the difference. It would be so easy to just… go spy on Lady Gisela. I am a seeker, after all. And she wouldn’t even be able to tell that I’m there.
“Hey, don’t stop enhancing.” I say, then I close my eyes and almost effortlessly, I go to see Gisela.
“I want him ready to wake up by next week, you hear me?” She shouts at another hooded figure.
“He will be.” The one in the cloak responds. “His Legacy will be glorious under your control.” Now it’s obvious they’re talking about Keefe.
“Ugh, a week is too long. We’re moving up the timeline.”
“Even for-”
“For everything you dimwit! Tell the ogres to get moving on those enzymes. And tell that technopath that everything needs to be ready in three days! But put the special project first. Three days for that, and six for my son.”
“But-”
“NO BUTS! We’re moving the timeline up, and everyone had better be able to keep up!” She stalks into another room that has one bed in the center. Lying on the bed, with his arms and legs strapped down, is Keefe, still unconscious. But did he wake up, and his mom put him back to sleep? I try to get closer to examine when I start feeling my head hurt. I have to go back, or I might not make it. Then I’m running through that terrible wood again. No light, and full of beasts that will prey on my consciousness if I let them get too close. It will be a long journey back. I take a breath and try to sense any beasts around me. There’s three, all of them a good distance away. I start running. I run and run and run until my head feels like it’s about to explode. I stop for a minute to catch my breath, then I sense it. Only a few feet behind me. I start running again. I’ve never let them get that close before. I keep running, and the headache gets worse, but if I let one get that close, I can’t afford to stop. All I think about is running. Running for my life. Running through the pain. Then I’m back in my body.
“LORI?! LORI?!” Sophie’s shouting. Oralie is standing next to me, looking pale.
“Sophie, it’s ok. I’m here.”
“WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!”
“That was Seeking.”
“Never do it again. At least not without giving me more of a warning that ‘don’t stop enhancing’. You scared me.”
“I’m sorry. But I got information on what Lady Gisela’s planning.”
“Is it about Keefe?”
“Some of it. But it’s really vague. She’s also doing something called her ‘special project’ in three days. And Keefe is in six. I’m not sure what she gave more importance to than Keefe’s Legacy’, but I don’t want to find out.”
“Me neither. Transmit the memories of what you saw to me.”
“And me.” Oralie puts in. “I’ll have Emery read my mind so the council will know. And also anything you have on your ability and how it works.”
“Uh, ok.” I send both of them all of what happened while I was seeking, and Sophie goes pale around the time I was watching Keefe.
“Do you still want me to stay here to try your idea?” Oralie asks, after I finish showing her everything.
“No. Go tell the rest of the council, so they’ll start searching for Keefe, and make an effort to figure out what this ‘special project’ is. I’ll find another empath. Or maybe we won’t be able to do it if someone,” she looks right at me, “can’t remember how to root their consciousness.”
“I didn’t know how it would affect me. I’ll be able to do better next time.” Sophie nods, satisfied with my answer. Oralie leaps away, and it’s just the two of us again. “What did I do? While I was gone?”
“It was weird. You told me not to stop enhancing, then you fell backwards, and started twitching. Then, I’d guess around the time you started going through that… what even is it?”
“I’ll assume you’re referencing the mental forest?”
“That’s probably it. You started thrashing around. Oralie tried to hold you down, but-”
“That’s why it got so close. You can’t hold me down. I’m lucky I made it out alive.”
“That's why what got so close?”
“You couldn’t sense it in my memory? When I stopped to catch my breath, there was a beast only a few feet behind me. I normally keep at least several yards between us, but if she was holding me down…”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!”
“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known. And neither could Oralie. She was probably just trying to avoid getting kicked in the face.”
“Well, now we find another empath.”
“I guess Stina is the next best choice.”
“I could call her here and say it’s for Team Valliant.”
“Just let me try talking to her first. I’m not trying to start a Heks Family Fanclub or anything, but I think after Friday, she might listen to me.”
“You can try.” I pick up my imparter.
“Show me Stina Heks.”
“What do you want?” Stian says when she picks up after a few rings.
“I need a favor. I’ve been having really bad nightmares, and Sophie has an idea that might get them to stop, but we need an empath.”
“You just want me to fill in for Keefe, don’t you?”
“No, I actually trust you to do this. Please? Think of it as a favor for a friend.”
“Since when were you my friend?”
“Friday. Remember?”
“You entering my mind for a game of truth or dare isn’t the same as a friendship.”
“I know that. But I pinned you as an enemy in my old universe, and I’m trying not to make that mistake again.”
“Ok, fine.” She says after a pause. “I’ll be over in five.”
“I must say, I’m impressed that you actually got her to agree to that.” Sophie says.
“Me too.” Just then she leaps in.
“What do you want me to do?” She asks.
“Sophie’s going to enhance you, then we’ll see if you can share some calmness. That’s not the best explanation, but in theory, it should be instinctual.”
“Fine. Turn it on.” Sophie’s enhancing starts, and I have to give conscious thought so I don’t start Seeking. The urge to go somewhere slowly fades away when Stina grabs Sophie’s hand.
“Woah. This is intense.” Stina says.
“Do you think you can figure it out?” I ask.
“Yeah. It might be easier with physical contact. Give me your hand.” She takes my hand and I feel a pink breeze wash over my mind.
“Go to sleep now.” Sophie whispers. Stina keeps sending me pink waves of relaxation, and I fall into a steady sleep, without any nightmares.