Forever(30)

“Have you seen war before?”

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he nodded. “Once or twice,”

“And what’s your power?”

“You mean you haven’t read my mind yet?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Would you like me too?”

“No. I am telekinetic. There aren’t many of us who can do it.”

I thought back to opening and slamming my bedroom door shut on Thayde.

Kenneth smiled. “Of course, I’m sure you can.”

He cleared his throat when I didn’t answer and began to swim back to his place with the others.

“Kenneth,” I called and he turned. “I’d like to speak with you at a later date, if I may.”

“It’d be an honor.”

Thayde, he knows more than he’s letting on.

I know.

“I have one other problem. My sister is dying. We all know that The Link has never had a sibling before. I know the talk is that she won’t live past her fifteenth birthday. She is not yet five and her aging has more than doubled the normal rate. In limbo, she’s twenty five. She’ll be dead in a few days.” My throat tightened as if I’d drank a shot of whiskey. “Can I save her?”

Their silence offered no comfort. No one looked me in the eye.

“I take it the answer is no, then?”

Again, no answer. My heart hung heavier than before and I looked to Thayde who attempted a smile, but it was useless. He looked how I felt.

“Then I will leave you with this order: send word that a war is coming and I expect everyone to make the choice whether to fight or at least help some way. I want them to meet at the Riddick House at noon in two days.”

A huge breath of air escaped my lungs. Life was quickly becoming extremely complicated.

“I will leave you now,” I said.

“Just a moment, if you please!” Aunt Jemima spoke up. “We have heard that you took it upon yourself to interfere in the life and death situation of your husband.”

The shift in topic threw me for a loop, making me take a step back. “Excuse me?” I asked, nearly too stunned to speak.

“It is against our laws to interfere with the dying. I’m sure you are aware with that. Your mother did the same thing with Tammer, many years ago. She was banished from Florida for it.”

My icy stare made her squirm. “What is your point?”

“Your family seems to believe it is above the law because you are The Link. I assure you, it is not. Your mother returned to Florida and she is still supposed to be banished.”

“Skip to the point.” I ordered. Thayde’s warm hand slipped into mine.

Calm down, Morgan.

“You and your mother have violated the very laws you are striving to keep in place. You must atone for your actions.”

“What more must my mother go through to satisfy your anger?” My voice reminded me of Herra’s.

“It is not my anger you are atoning for, but the law.”

“Then the law needs to be changed. In fact, I intend to change a great many of our laws, starting with how Halflings are treated.”

“What?” Astonishment rang through the great hallway.

“The prejudice against Halflings is appalling. It is my intent to change the laws so they have equal rights.”

Aunt Jemima looked as if I’d poured Gatorade over her head. “They don’t have powers.”

“They are treated as second class citizens – something that was abolished by the Civil Rights Act in human laws in the 60’s.”

“We are not Human.”

“Clearly,”

With that, we left the beautiful, circular room and returned to the center of Neridia.

“That took a lot of guts,” Thayde said.

“I think I just made things worse.” I admitted and rubbed my temples with my fingertips.

“They needed a bit of shuffling, I think.”

“What am I going to do about Naira, Thayde?”

He stopped swimming and placed both hands on my shoulders. “Morgan, you’re going to have to help her die as painlessly and with as much dignity as you can. There isn’t anything else you can do.”

I shut my eyes against the jumble of thoughts and memories. Thayde’s warm arms pulled me back to reality as they slid around me, cocooning me in their safety.

“Let’s go home.” He said.

Ezen and Tiesa swam to us, their faces unhappy.

“The three you dismissed are on their way to Herra as we speak.” Ezen’s voice was low.

“I’m not sure that was the wisest thing you’ve ever done,” Tiesa chanced to say and I glared at her.

“There were four and they weren’t bringing anything helpful to the Elders. They certainly didn’t remember what it meant to be an Elder.”