“What are you?” I ask bluntly. I’m done with all of the ominous talking.
“I’m a soul-speaker. I can speak with the souls in and out of the veil. Well I could. Now I’m not part of the human side of the veil.” Her voice sounds a bit lost as she finishes speaking.
“How does that include me?” I ask for clarification, still not seeing the bigger picture.
“I dreamt about meeting you. Every once in a while a soul would pop up in my dreams and guide me. One of them told me about you, showed me your face,” she says as her vivid blue eyes study me. “I’ve been here for what feels like hours, I was getting a bit freaked out, but then I saw your light. You glow like a beacon here in the void.”
The moment she mentions me being a beacon of light, I think of the middle of my rune marking. I guess that explains the Latin word for light Arianna told me about. Another mystery wrapped in another.
“I think your body is healed now. Did you try leaving the darkness?” She nods at my question.
“I tried, and usually I can. This time I can’t,” she explains, “Though I think it’s because I needed to meet you here first. I can feel my body on the other side. Someone’s with me, talking, but it’s muffled.”
“How do you do it?” I ask curiously. Sure I made it out once before but I could use a way out in the future if I keep getting stuck in this desolate place.
“I simply focus on waking up, but that doesn’t seem to be an option here.” The panic she is trying to hold back flashes to the surface but I can’t offer any comfort. I’m just as stuck as she is.
The voices start talking louder around us. I don’t understand the words they are saying still, but the cacophony of voices makes it hard to concentrate.
“I hate that it’s so loud here. How do you focus with all this?” I ask, holding my hands over my ears.
“It’s silent here, Luz,” she says, eyes wide as I practically yell to be heard over the voices pounding in my ears. How is she not hearing this?
“Luz, you have the power to get out of the darkness,” a voice calls out. It has an echoing quality to it and I immediately recognize it from the last time I was stuck here.
“I don’t know how,” I reply quickly. “Who are you?”
The girl turns and tries to look around us but even I can’t see the owner of the voice.
“What’s your name? I probably should stop referring to you asthe girlin my head.” She laughs before answering.
“My name is Theodora. Though, I go by Thea, so don’t even think of calling me by my full name.” I like her already from the amount of sass she’s giving me even while we’re stuck in this void.
“Find someone, or something, on the other side as a tether. Use your connection to them to pull yourself out.” The voice calls out again, startling me.
“Who are you?” I ask the voice. I growl in frustration when no answer comes. “Why should I trust you?”
“What did they say?” Thea asks, bringing my focus back to her.
“It says I need to tether myself to someone on the outside and pull myself through,” I respond, holding back another growl.
“I don’t know anyone but you out there,” she says in a panicky tone.
“Let me try first, then you can use me. The voices are growing louder though.” My teeth are clenched so hard my jaw hurts and I’d give anything for some fucking silence. I’m feeling claustrophobic like they’re closing in on me, despite nothing visible drawing closer.
Closing my eyes I focus on Mason. His markings, his voice, those blue eyes. Then Liam. His smile and teasing. The ability to brighten up a room. When they’re in the front of my mind I picture an actual rope tying us together, a tether, and grab on. There’s resistance as I draw myself closer to them but I keep fighting, refusing to give up. Someone else is relying on me.
The moment the noise dies down, I know I was successful. The brightness here is even more blinding after pulling myself from the void, but for once I’m grateful for the white walls and blank space.
“Luz?!” Mason’s voice startles me and I suddenly realize I’m not actually on the blanket anymore. I’m in his arms. Words don’t seem to form so I snuggle into his chest for a moment, using his presence and scent of leather and spice to calm myself.
Our moment is short as something pulls at my chest. Right away I know it’s Thea and struggle out of Mason’s embrace to rush to her side.
“Thea?” I call gently as I take her hand. She blinks up at me for a moment.
“Do I look like complete shite? I sure feel like it,” she mumbles, making me laugh.
“Someone care to tell me what the fuck just happened?” Mason asks. His voice is strained and I realize just how much we freaked him out.