Maylin's Gate (Book 3) (60 page)

“How do you know so much about Zeke and the Tree of Life?” He said.

Aurelia curtsied before him. “Because I’m the one you sought in Maylin. I am the Seeker.”

His mouth fell open. “You? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Too dangerous,” Aurelia said. “Others can eavesdrop on a scrying session.”

He pointed toward the open gate floating over the library. “Who created the gateway?”

Danielle smiled. “I did."

"You?" He said. "You could've saved me a lot of trouble Danielle."

"I didn't do it alone. I needed help from my friends." Danielle glanced toward Arber, Jeremy, and Keely.

"How did you make it?"

"It's a very long story," Danielle said. "And, one I’m happy to share… later.”

His gaze locked on the sphere in the gate's lower-left socket. “That's Elan's sphere, isn't it?”

Danielle nodded.

He opened his mind to the sphere, but felt nothing. That he didn’t feel anything didn’t bother him. He was grateful that his headaches had, at long last, disappeared.

Connal turned to face Danielle. “How did you know to come here?”

“A moment ago I mentioned scrying," Aurelia said. "It’s a method of finding others, but only under special conditions.”

“That's how you found Ronan?” Rika said.

Aurelia nodded. “Due to the nature of Ronan’s ability and my own, finding him is simple under normal conditions. It’s how I’ve communicated with him in the past.”

Rika squeezed his hand.

He winced. “Ouch.”

“Have you seen this woman before?” Rika glared between him and Aurelia.

“Only during Elduin's sleep could I enter his thoughts,” Aurelia said. “But, after Danielle's arrival, we traveled here straight away.”

Rika glared at him. “Who is Elduin?”

He swallowed hard and met her glare. “Apparently, I am.”

“Ronan Latimer, if you’ve been keeping a secret from me, I swear I’ll —”

“Be at ease,” Aurelia said. “Ronan knows nothing of our history.” The Seeker glanced over the carnage laid out around them. “At a more appropriate time, I’ll be happy to elaborate.”

Connal glanced across the square. Troopers mopped up the last few insects buzzing about in random directions. “Are they gone then? Or will they come back?”

Aurelia followed Connal’s gaze. “I wish it were so easy. It will take some time to replace the lost sphere, but build it they will. And, with this world devoid of heartwood, finding earth won’t be difficult.” Aurelia nodded. “They will return, but this time, they will come in force.” The Seeker nodded toward him. “They know about Ronan. I believe his presence here caught them unaware. They won’t stop until they have him.”

“But, now we can begin again,” Danielle raised the heartwood sapling.

Aurelia smiled. “A new beginning.”

“We can bring a cure to Obsith,” Brees said stepping up beside Danielle.

Jo weaved around an insect carcass and stopped beside Danielle. “Have any of you seen Tara?” The girl scanned the carnage with brow furrowed.

He glanced at the space where the portal had hung minutes ago. “She gave her life to save us all. I’m sorry.”

Jo’s chin crinkled and the girl broke down in tears.

Rika pulled Jo close. She stroked the girl’s hair and whispered soft words of comfort.

The group fell silent and his gaze drifted across the square.

General Demos and a group of baerinese warriors stood before Chief Sura and the sansan. Demos’s hand extended. Sura took it and the warriors around them came together for handshakes.

A figure cloaked in shadows slipped around the warriors and moved across the square.

His heart lurched. “How —”

The man stepped into the light and smiled. “Hello, Ronan.”

***

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Look for the final book in the Echoes Across Time series in late 2015. Thanks for reading.