Fractured Souls(32)

He shrugs, stopping just in front of us, and I ball my hands into fists to keep from touching him. “I just want to make sure you’re good with it because you’re the one who’s going to have to pay the debt. Everything else is easy compared to that.”
“I wouldn’t go so far as easy,” he says. “But I get what you’re saying and I can handle it. Besides, it’s the quickest way and we need quick.”
“Alex,” Aislin starts, but then stops when Alex shoots her a glare. “Fine, you know what? Do whatever you want. You always do anyway.” Her voice is full of venom as she backs up to the shelf behind her with her hands up.
“I really wish someone would let me in on what the hell’s about to happen,” I say and Alex’s fingers leave my waist.
I shift uncomfortably as I turn around, very aware that Laylen is just behind me. “Ummm… What if Nicholas doesn’t show up as Nicholas… what if he mind fucks with my head again?”
Alex’s expression plummets. “Shit, the damn mirage thing.” He contemplates the dilemma and then his gaze diverts to Aislin. “Any ideas.”
Aislin sighs and then turns toward the shelf. “Always turning to the Witch.” She rummages through the unique collection of stuff stacked on the shelves and finally selects a small, bronzed box about the size of her palm. “What would you guys do without me?” she asks, turning around with the box balanced in her hand.
“Probably be confused all the time,” Laylen says, winking at her.
She smiles, but it’s tight. Then she walks forward, her eyes glued to the box. “Now I’m not one-hundred percent sure if it’ll work, but it’s supposed to give you clear, undiluted sight, so we’ll see.”
“You know, I love you to death,” Alex says. “But every time you say you’re not one-hundred percent sure, it makes me worry I’m going to grow a third arm or something.”
“Hey, that only happened once,” Aislin protests, removing the lid from the box.
“Or temporarily change into a frog,” Laylen says with a small smile.
“I was only trying to turn you into a prince charming,” she says, her green eyes lighting up as she smiles up at them. “It’s not my fault I didn’t read the fine print.”
Laylen causally leans against the shelf. “You know, I still crave the taste of flies sometimes.”
“I bet you do,” Aislin’s mouth threatens to turn upward as she reaches into the box.
The whole conversation reminds me again how much I’ve missed out on and how I’ll never get it back. I won’t share moments with them of misplaced spells and games or whatever else children do. I only have now and I’m not really sure what to do with it since it pretty much owns me at the moment.
Alex temporarily removes my necklace so Aislin can splash some silvery dust in my eyes and chant her magic words. he puts it back on me and Aislin splashes some in Laylen and Alex’s eyes as well as hers. Then Alex moves over to a shelf and searches the bottom row. Bending down, he scoops up a crystal ball and then walks back over to me, balancing the illuminating crystal structure in his palm.#p#分页标题#e#
I wipe my eyes with the heels of my hands and blink against my blurry vision. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
He nods. “Now shut your eyes and place you’re hand on it… the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can have answers.”
I swallow hard, torn. Is this what I really should be doing? Should I really risk it? Risk whatever waits for us in the future?
“Think of somewhere safe to go,” Alex instructs with his fingers wrapped around the glass. “A safe place.”
I’m seriously considering stepping back and really thinking about what I’m about to do because I do care for Alex. I really do. The feeling I’m experiencing—the desire to protect him—makes me hesitate.
“Maybe I should—”
Before I can react, he grabs my hand and places my palm onto the glass. I feel a hot energy swoop up my body before it slams against my head and my heart. It feels like my limbs are being detached from my body as my pulse accelerates. Seconds later, I’m engulfed by a bright, warm light and being swept away into the unknown.

Chapter 9
 
I’m not sure what went wrong, but something is definitely wrong. All I can see is light. Everywhere. I’m not falling or floating. I’m not even moving, I’m simply sustained somewhere within it.
“Where am I?” I whisper, moving my arms and legs, desperately trying to get my bearings.
“You’re in your future,” someone says from behind me.