Page 109 of One Last Promise
“To dowhat?”
“To keep you safe until your power manifests.”
I didn’t like the sound of any of this.When I turned to the fire twins, they looked solemn.
“How are you going to do that?”I asked, afraid of the answer.
Darce turned to the twins, unable to form the words.The pain was too much for him.
“We are going to bind your soul and send you to another veil.One that neither of your races know about.”Lisha put her hand on my shoulder in comfort as she spoke.
“But I will know, right?”Darce panicked, holding me closer.“I won’t lose her!”
“You will be heronlyprotector, watching over her soul tree.”My what?“Part of your essence will always be near her.Bathin gave you anancientspell, Darce.One that hasn’t been given in eons.Alora will be safe.She will be reincarnated until she finally comes into her powers.Nisha has foreseen it.”
“Reincarnated?”I had never heard of such a word.
“Earth veil.The humans there were made in our image, but not given our lifespan orimmortality.They only live for decades.A century, at most.Each time you die in human form, your soul will move into a new body.This is called reincarnation.”No, I didn’t like the sound of this at all!
“Will I remember who I am?”Nisha shook her head.
“No!I don’t want to forget!Don’t make me do this!”Darce dropped his gaze from me, trying to compose himself.Why would he want this?We couldn’t be apart.It would destroy us both.
“Alora,” he finally soothed, “I’ll merely be a shadow away.This is the only way I can keep you safe.I’ve used my last wish for this.Trust me.You’re not going to forget me, because I’ll be right beside you.You simply won’t be able to see me.”
“When your powers begin to surface, it will trigger all your memories.”Nisha wasn’t even looking at me as she spoke.She was holding a large, golden seed in her hands.“It’s the only way we can save you, Alora.This seed will keep your soul safe.”Was it from Bathin?Was that what Darce had received with his wish?Did it have something to do with my soul tree?
“How long will I be gone?”
“A few centuries at the most.”Nisha began to pour her power into the seed.
Darce ran his hands through my hair, pulling softly on the ends.“It will give me time to work out a plan for us.I need to fully explain to my parents.It’s the only way I can keep you safe frombothour generals.It won’t be forever, Starshine.Trust me, please.This is theonlyway.Bathin has made this possible for us.”
“Is this the only way we both stay alive?”I questioned, watching the torment in his eyes.
“This is theonlyway we can bring peace to Afterlight.”The truth burning in his eyes was excruciating.Leaving him for thisEarth veil...forgetting him until my powers manifested...it all felt so wrong.“I’ll never be far from you, my love, I promise.”
“My father will go to war with you.”He would be readying his army immediately.
“War is going to happen either way.All I care about is keepingyousafe.”The sincerity shining in his dark orbs floored me.This male’s protection was endless.“I’ve been fighting your race for millennia.You know I can take care of myself.”
“I don’t want to forget you,” I whimpered, pulling on his tunic.“Being in a world where you don’t exist...I can’t cope with that.”
“Iwillexist there.The darkness in that veil ismybloodline, as the light is ruled byyours.It’s simply a lesser veil that no one will think to check.Seers won’t be able to track you if your soul has been bound into human form.They won’t even know what humans are.”
“Darce, I’m sorry, but we have no more time for this.I can already feel Zohar searching for her,” Nisha warned, stoking the fire higher.“The seed is ready.We must do thisnowor all will be lost.”
“Alora, please trust me.This is how it has to be,” Darce pleaded.“If I lose you, I might as well be dead.The only way I can get through this is knowing we’ll be together again one day and bring peace to our land.When you are ready to remember me...when your power surfaces...I’ll comerunning, I promise.”With tear stained cheeks, I slowly nodded, allowing him to walk me towards Nisha.
Lisha joined her sister, linking their hands.When they did, the fire began to blaze a pure blue.Nisha placed the seed next to me, nodding at Darce.It was time.
“You’ll never leave me?No matter how many lives I have to lead before I find you again?”Needing to hear the words one last time, I wrapped my arms around his neck.“We love each other enough for this, I know we do.”
“I will be with you foreverylifetime, watching over you.I’ll be the one planting your soul seed and protecting you witheverythingthat I am.”I crashed my lips against his, and he returned the kiss, pouring all his love and devotion into it.“I love you.”His voice broke as he spoke.“Are you ready?”
“Yes,” I breathed.“I love you, too.”Darce leant his head against mine before planting a soft kiss on my forehead.“I’m doing this for us.We’ll be unstoppable when I return.I’ll finally have my powers and wewillbring peace to Afterlight.”
“All I want is you back in one piece.”Looking down at me, he kissed me softly while stroking my face.His eyes were full of tears.“I would do this all again, Starshine.You willalwaysbe worth saving.I’ll find you in Earth veil, Ipromise.”As his lips pressed against mine one last time, I could feel myself begin to fade.All that I was and had been was gone.
