Crais(67)

Brace had me before I even hit the ground. I wrapped my arms around him, trying to quell the shivers that were shaking me from the inside. I was coming off an energy high or something. I looked over Brace’s shoulder to Fury. She was cradled in Dune’s arms and seemed to barely have the strength to lift her head.

“What happened? What did you do to her?” Dune barked at me, his normal good nature disappearing under the stress of Fury’s limp body in his arms.

“It wasn’t Abby’s fault.” Fury’s voice was just audible. “I got overconfident with my power and paid the price.” She dropped her head down onto his shoulder, closing her eyes.

I struggled to get down, needing to go and verify she was okay. Brace set me gently on my feet. I dashed closer, but Dune held her away so I couldn’t touch her.

“I don’t know what happened,” I said, the stress raising my voice to a high pitch. “When I crashed into her some sort of golden cord shot from me and tethered itself to Fury. She couldn’t control her power and both of us were frozen in this little bubble.” I gulped. “I was in control of the flow of energy. I could increase her flames or end them. I sucked the power into myself. I didn’t know what else to do to separate us.”

Dune’s broad features softened. “Is she going to be okay?”

I turned to Josian, then to Brace, waiting for one of them to speak. They generally had answers to these weird Walker things. But all of them, even the blondie twins, looked like they were in shock. They just stared at me, their expressions full of ... fear and maybe a slight incredulity.

“Hello, Earth to Walkers.” Lucy grinned at me. “Or should it be First World to Walkers?”

“What are you all doing?” I demanded. “Someone answer Dune.”

“I’m fine,” Fury said. It was pretty unconvincing, considering she could barely lift her head. “My energy is drained, but I can already feel it starting to regenerate.”

Relief flooded me.

“So can someone tell us what Abby just did, because I’m picking up nothing?” Lucy had her hands on her hips, looking a little put out.

I laughed. “You’ve only had this ability for a few months, Luce, and for most of that you didn’t even know you had it. Someone’s getting a little too used to having foresight.”

She shrugged. “What can I say; it’s nice not to feel useless in a world full of gods and those with gifts.”

I was distracted then as four massive Walkers surrounded me. They stared down.

“What?” I blurted out, feeling a little self-conscious.

“Well, Abby, you’ve just given Mags another reason to hate you.” Colton’s tone was light-hearted, although his face remained impassive.

“How can a half be trusted with the gift of a conduit?” Magenta spat out. “How can she be the one?”

Josian’s bronze eyes twinkled as he reached out and engulfed me in a hug.

“Francesca did keep assuring me you were the key to defeating the Seventine, and I could never figure out how your power fit into everything.” His voice was soothing.

I concentrated on breathing through the strands of blood-red hair surrounding me.

“But you’re a conduit, baby girl. You are quite literally the key.” Josian set me down.

Lallielle grasped his arm, capturing his attention.

“What is a conduit?” she asked, her features frozen and body stiff.

I wondered what was bothering her.

“Don’t panic, my love.” Josian could read his wife better than anyone. “Aribella has a strong power. She can channel the gifts of other Walkers. As we just saw, she connected to Fury, and had the ability to increase or decrease her powers.”

My heart felt like it literally skipped a few beats. “So when we have all of the half-Walker girls, I’m going to be able to connect to them and increase their powers?”

Brace and Colton laughed together. I faced them, nailing each one with a glare. Brace’s eyes softened, his lips turning up as he chuckled.

“This is so much bigger than that. You’re going to be able to connect to all of them at the same time, Red, and create one super power.”

“Told you she was super Abby, but no one wanted to listen to me.” Fury’s voice was a little stronger. She was still cradled in Dune’s arms about ten feet away.

“Can I connect to anyone and suck their powers out?” Maybe I could neutralize the Seventine by myself.

“Don’t even think about it, Abigail.” Brace’s eyes were drilling a hole in my head. “The Seventine are from the origin. You cannot drain their power. Remember that they can never be undone, only contained.”