Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Thirty-Five

I slowly turned around, rising to my feet as I stared across the woods at my old home.

Was this an illusion of Kirigan's... or was I dead?

The front door creaked open, and my Mother showed herself in the doorway. She didn't greet me with a smile, or a wave. She didn't speak a word, she just started across the cobblestone towards me.

I slowly walked towards her, dragging my feet slightly, wariness creeping through my bones. What was going on?

I was estatic to see her. I wanted to hug her. But I didn't want to fall for a trick.

My Mother walked up to me, taking my hands in hers. I could feel her touch. The callouses in her hands were just like I remembered.

"We don't have much time." She said seriously, speaking for the first time.

"Am I hallucinating? Is this even real?" I questioned, taking in the frown lines and creases in her face that only showed up when one of us was in serious danger.

"It's a hallucination." She said. "But it's about to get very real." She added seriously. I nodded, inhaling deeply and trusting her.

"Okay." I said. "What's happening?"

"The people in the afterlife have abilities," My Mother explained while leading me back towards the cottage. "So long as the bond to the living is strong enough. You're at the threshold. Death's door. You're passed out in that house in Shu Han, inhaling poison. You're hallucinating, but I managed to break through. Your heart's slow enough for you to be considered both dead and alive. You've really got to stop getting yourself almost killed. I love you, starlight, but you keep cutting it very close, and I can still get a heart attack even though I'm dead." She added sternly.

"I don't make a point to do this on purpose!" I protested, feeling scolded.

"You have a connection to Alina because of the stag and the sea whip." Mother said. "Just like your connection to Aleksander Morozova. But you also have a connection to his mother, Baghra. You need to take advantage of this time before your friends save you and listen to everything she tells Alina and Mal, okay?" She said urgently.

I nodded. "Okay." I obeyed. She opened the cottage door, and pushed me through, guiding me by my back. Instead of entering my childhood home, I stepped through the doorway into another part of the forest.

I could still smell Ravkan spring.

"Ridiculous. This notion of amplifiers." I turned my head, seeing Baghra sitting on a log in front of a small fire, Mal and Alina sitting with her.

"Baghra." I exclaimed.

"She can't hear you." I looked over my shoulder to see my Mother standing behind me. "Just listen." She commanded, and I nodded, turning back around.