Angel of Fire - the Breath of Immortality - Book One #Wattys2014

Clarity

Chapter 47 - Clarity

Thomas held out his hand, patiently waiting for me to take it. Unwilling to feel the effects of his touch again I lowered my eyes, keeping my fingers carefully entwined behind my back and stood up on my own.

A sound of frustration erupted from his throat. Anger made his own stubbornness stir inside him, coiling in that secret place behind his eyes like an impenetrable stone wall. Suddenly he shifted forward, closing the distance between us. I held my ground in response, defiantly raising my chin to meet his heated gaze. Firelight danced across his face, lighting up his eyes and making them look enchanted.

That's when it hit me.

Brewing with palpable tension, the air around us became heavy with friction. Standing so closely together with our bodies almost touching, the small space between us filled with that strange electric charge once again.

Like a spark ready to ignite.

Confused by my overwhelming attraction to him – the feeling much, much stronger than I'd ever felt for Vycandor – all I really knew for sure was that I never wanted the moment to end.

“Everything you see here, everything you can touch is all just an illusion,” Thomas whispered in my ear, shattering the silence.

Just like that the magical bond between us was broken, leaving me with an empty feeling inside.

I narrowed my eyes. “I don't get it.”

Exhaling sharply as if he too had felt the loss, he sounded irritated. “Death has certainly had no effect on your intellect, Chaos.”

I knew he'd meant it as an insult, but right then I was too confused for anger to register.

“What if I told you...” he began hesitantly, raking fingers through his dark hair, “that I created all of this to help you make the necessary transition.”

My voice squeaked in surprise. “Transition? Transition to what?”

“To the other side,” he answered, as if that explained everything.

I lifted both brows. “To the other side of what?”

“Here,” he urged, stepping aside. “It might be easier if I showed you.”

“Ya think?” My patience with all of his secrecy was seriously starting to run thin.

Ignoring my outburst, Thomas walked backwards directly toward a wall fashioned entirely out of logs. I followed, shuffling my feet hesitantly. I still wasn't sure where he was going with all of this, when he stopped abruptly. “First, tell me what your feelings are for Vycandor.”

I gulped in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“Never mind.” He shook his head as if sorry he'd brought it up right then. “Think about it, and tell me later.”

Thomas continued to back up with me in tow. Impossibly, the closer we got to the wall, the more it just...disappeared. The effect reminded me of looking out a window where there was none. Just when it seemed as if we could go no further, he led me out of the cabin and directly into blinding sunlight.

For a dead girl, I suddenly felt so alive inside.

It took a few frozen moments for my eyes to adjust to the assault. Vision slowly returning to normal, I found myself standing beside Thomas high up on a cliff covered in daisies and overlooking an ocean. Instead of being afraid, I felt a warm deep calm cast over me.