Entrance to the Song (completed)

Chapter 26 - Song's Binding

Life on the mother requires the balance of ages

Daddy stared at Sol in silence. A crease formed on his brow. He nodded not even asking how.

I fidgeted when he turned his sad eyes on me. "She died jumping in front of a knife meant for Sol." I paused, looking down at my hands. "She died a hero."

"I expected nothing less." He took a deep breath. "We need to get to work sorting out all of these people."

There were thousands of people shuffling around the once deserted looking Keep. Shiah and Daddy organized the people into manageable groups.

Some had been asleep for much longer than any of us expected. The Keep was supposedly built fifty years ago, but there were sleepers from as far back as a thousand years. The ones with no homes stayed at the Keep and made it a research facility.

After four days of organizing, the Sleepers Garden–as they called it- was running well with Shiah and Benin as overseers. We gathered around Mistress Vega's resting place. The entrance to the next realm hovered in my peripheral vision. We agreed that she shouldn't be put in a box but blanketed in the embrace of the Mother she protected.

All forty-two Earth Singers were present, holding candles. The earth parted to receive her body; her face was serene as she descended. We sang to the earth–it was a song of mourning and hope. Forty-two different flowers grew from the earth above her.

"She saved me," Sol said turning to us. "I promise I will take on the role of protecting each of you." He touched each of us with his eyes. "I will honor her sacrifice and give myself to you." A warm breeze blew through the trees, making the candles dance in the night.

He held a torch in his hand. "I will make it my duty to travel between realms and provide knowledge, training, and support."

We had talked little in the last few days. I made a point of avoiding him, and he gave me space. His eyes burned in the light of the torch. I knew it was almost time for us to part, and it made my heart ache. Why did I still care? He had betrayed us–even if he was trying to make up for it now.

Benin stood to my right–ever present. His comfort helped me cope with all that's happened. I hated to leave him. He hadn't left my side in the last few days, but Raquel seemed determined to get his attention which irked me to no end.

Life was no longer the same. I didn't know how to do normal. I was seventeen, and I'd experienced things normal seventeen-year-olds would never experience in their entire lives. The people I'd grown closest to wouldn't be accessible even though I found out I could come back, it wasn't the same.

At least I'd been kissed.

"We leave in the morning," Daddy said as we walked to our car.

I stayed silent.

"I know you don't want to leave your friends, but remember that you can visit whenever you want."

I sighed.

"Penny?" Benin said before I got into the car. I'd almost forgotten I wouldn't see him again before I left.

I tried to smile at him but my mouth wouldn't cooperate. I stepped into his arms and took in his smell. The aroma of baked herbs and candy entered my nose. "You must grow me a diamond candy bush when you come visit." I looked up at him.

He managed a weak smile. "We'll grow a whole garden of them, and chocolate cake trees too."

I chuckled. "I'll hold you to it."

He squeezed my hand. "Penny -" he started.

"Don't," I said on the verge of crying. I couldn't take it if he spoke of his feelings for me. Uncertainty still pricked my heart. There was too much to consider–too much hurt and confusion. I brushed my lips across his and turned to get into the car.

We headed back to the beauty bar for our last night.

Daddy held my hand.

That night I dreamed of yellow eyes boring into me as I slept unable to move. I awoke with a start. Cold sweat clung to my skin. Long shadows stretched across my bed.

"I had to see you." Sol stepped out of the shadow. I had stopped being surprised by his presence in my room. In fact, I expected him tonight; I would've been disappointed if he didn't show up.

I watched him move closer to where I lay–my heart quickened with each step.

"I know I messed up by getting involved with you." He sank to one knee next to my bed. "But, how I feel about you is genuine." He caressed my hand. I wanted to move it, but it disobeyed my order and stayed in the searing touch of the sun. Heat traveled up my arm, and I closed my eyes to revel in the feeling. "I'm sorry," he said, taking my silence as rejection.

I clutched his hand when he tried to remove it. "Penny, can you ever forgive me? I'm not asking you to return my affection–I want to know you don't hate me." He brought my hand to his lips and kissed each finger. "I realize that I did the same thing that my wife did all those years ago. It took me doing the same thing to finally forgive her. But, I know your heart is bigger than mine."

In truth, I had already forgiven him. I tried to hold the anger, but it wouldn't stick. I didn't know what to say. We were parting ways in the morning; he had a duty to all the Earth Singers. "You fulfilled your responsibility," I said.

He looked at me in question.

"You said it wouldn't work between us because you'd think of my safety over the others, but you've proved yourself wrong."

He studied me but didn't comment. "Do you forgive me?"

"Yes." I pushed his shoulder. "How can I be made at the sun star?"

He chuckled, and then in a deep voice he said, "That's true, I am the sun star." He stuck out his chest.

We laughed and talked for the rest of the night.

Morning came too soon. I was tired but satisfied with leaving, knowing things were well between me and Sol.

"All set?" Daddy asked as we made our way to the door.

"Yes." I took in the morning air. We had four doors to go through before we reached our realm, and–we had to enter the door from the other side to go in back.

"The seasons should be the same, but you have everything you need in your bag if it's not." Sol checked our bags for the hundredth time. I gave him one last lingering hug and kiss on the cheek. He winked at me. "See you soon."

I nodded and then reached out to start the journey back to my realm.