The End is Near

Chapter 22

18 July 2045 – Within the Seventh's Sanctuary

"I am so not talking to you right now!" I said, tossing the sceptre onto the bed. It was the same room I had been allotted the last time I was there or at least I thought it was. Who could tell what was the same and what was different when dealing with someone who seemed to bend reality at will? He faced me across the room, his hood thrown back to reveal his face.

"I don't understand why you are so upset," Gwydd said. "From the very beginning you knew this path was yours alone to walk. Why are you upset that I gave you the space to do what you needed to? Do you think you would have been aided in the way you were if I had been there, lurking by your side?"

I shot one shocked look at him. How in the Goddess's name did he knew about my being aided? "That doesn't change the fact that you left me alone with no warning. You were by my side, until you just weren't anymore!" There! A good attach is the best defence.

"Don't you think you're being a little bit childish here?" he asked, throwing his hands up.

"You think I don't knowwww that!" I wailed and sat abruptly on the bed, head in hands. The room felt like it was spinning and I felt an awful hole in the middle of my stomach. The time was nearly at hand and I was so absolutely clueless. We had all the pieces assembled. Mickael was sure of it and so was I. The problem was I still didn't know what I was supposed to do with them.

Take:

1 sceptre

1 brilliant scientist

1 human psychic/telekinetic

1 military strategist

1 witch

And?

And what? Shake well until combined?

Combine ingredients and leave to rise for one hour?

Bake? Broil? Baste?

"Oh Gwydd! I still don't know what I am supposed to do." I wailed.

I felt the bed shift as he sat next to me. He said nothing for a moment and in that silence I concentrated on breathing deeply, hoping it would calm my racing heart. "Kiera, I think maybe you are being too hard on yourself. Is it possible that it's not for you alone to figure this thing out?"

I kept my face down, with my head still in my hands as I pondered that. From the very beginning, I had been told that it would all come down to me. I had accepted that as both burden and responsibility. Yet, from the time the crisis had actually begun, I had to rely on others. Each vision, each part of the quest – all of it was in pieces that had to be accomplished by others. True, I had my part to play. But who was to say that my piece of the puzzle was any more or less important than any others?

"Oh my stars," I said, raising my head to look into his eyes, "I am so blinded by ego! I should have seen that before. You are so absolutely right."

"Drink this," he held out a mug of something that steamed and smelled of hot chocolate, "and rest. We're stronger together. We will figure this out."

Then he kissed me on the forehead and left.

I sat there smiling stupidly at the hot chocolate for a couple minutes before I decided to do just that. He'd kissed me. The feeling of warmth and of being cared for radiated from my forehead, all the way to my toes.