Mending Torn Bonds {Book Four in the Four Winds series}

Chapter Sixteen

Aira was standing over James's body. She had found Lloyd asleep in the chair next to his bed. He was hurting so much. She was too. She felt like her heart was shattered in her chest and the shards were causing enormous amounts of pain everywhere. She bit her lip and began to play with her locket.

Her father had told her that the locket would protect her but a fat lot of good it had been. She had never been able to get it open. She had given up and just wore it like a necklace.

"Please come back," Aira said softly.

She squealed when her locket opened suddenly. A bright golden light began to glow from it's core. She began to feel pain spread throughout her body.

"Lloyd!" She gasped.

He started awake and gaped at the golden light coming from Aira.

"Aira?! What-"

The light began to float around the room. The pain abated and she stumbled forward. The small orb began to whoosh around the room.

"What the hell is that?" Lloyd asked.

"I have no idea!" She said staring at it in awe. "It came from my locket!"

"Mommy," a small voice said. It was coming from the orb. Aira clutched at Lloyd's arm in fear. "You know the saying that the dead will always be with you in your heart? Well, it's actually true in this case."

"J-j-j-j-" Aira couldn't say his name.

Lloyd had a sudden realization. He carefully pulled back the sheet from James's face. Aira looked away. She didn't want to remember James this way.

She looked up to see the golden orb flying toward his body. Lloyd pulled her away from the bed. A golden light began to glow around the body.

"Did you have that necklace on when he died?" Lloyd asked carefully.

"Yes, I always wear it!"

"I think that locket may be even more special than we thought."

Suddenly there was a flash and they had to cover their eyes. They looked up carefully. Lloyd walked over to the bed and touched James's hand. It was warm! His chest was rising and falling an a rhythmic and steady way.

"He's alive!" Lloyd shouted with joy. "He's alive!"

"James!" Aira squealed in happiness.

James's eyes fluttered open and he turned his head. Lloyd began to sob with joy. James look confused. Lloyd gathered him into his arms and held him tightly.

"Daddy, what happened?" James asked. "We were in the woods. Dad! I died!"

Aira rushed to her son and began to kiss his face over and over again.

"The locket must've save his consciousness!" Lloyd shouted. "That locket does protect! It saves the consciousness of anyone near you that dies. You were holding him so tightly that the locket must've mistook his consciousness for yours! It must've thought it was saving the wearer!"

"Remind me to thank my dad profusely later," Aira said holding James close.

"Mom, Dad," Julia began walking in but she stopped. She screamed and ran from the room.

"Julia! Come back!" Aira called.

A few minutes later Julia slowly walked back in dragging Kyle and Stephanie behind her.

"I'm not going insane?" She asked suspiciously.

"No! He is alive! My locket saved him!" Aira screamed in joy.

"James!" Julia flew at her brother and held him close.

"Bleh! Dying and coming back to life warrants a lot of hugs and kisses," James gagged.

Lloyd and Aira laughed. There was no way to describe their joy.

*******************************

"Why didn't you ever tell me how the locket worked?" Aira asked her father. He had been staying with them since the news of James's death.

"I didn't know," he said. "I thought this was the Protection Locket! I have no idea what this is!"

"I may know," Misako said coming in with a armful of scrolls. "It's called the Vitae Locket. Vitae is Latin for life. Not a very unique name but all the same. It's said to restore life to the wearer. It bottles up your soul if you will. It will reconnect with the body if the locket is opened. It will also heal the body of the fatal injuries because what's the point of going back to a fatally wounded body?"

"I honestly don't care!" Garmadon said with joy. "My grandson is alive!"

Julia smiled but then whirled toward Katrina in anger, "don't think I'll forgive you!"

"But, Julia, I-"

"No!" Julia seethed.

"Julia, stop it," Lloyd said. "She may not have acted correctly but his death wasn't her fault."

"Like hell it wasn't!" She yelled back. "If she hadn't tried to leave again this wouldn't have happened!"

"But he is alive and well now," Aira said placing a hand on her daughters shoulder. "Bitterness hurts no one but yourself."

Julia ignored her and angrily made her way upstairs. Katrina looked hurt.

"Oh no!" Katrina yelled suddenly. "I told Xavier about James's death! I need to tell him he is alive!"

With that she ran out the door and powered up her dragon. She flew off towards Xavier's location. She landed and ran inside. He wasn't there!

"Xavier!" She shouted. "Oh no, what have I done?!"

A/n- Yay! Are you happy again! I'm happy! It would've been too sad if James had stayed dead! Adult deaths I can handle but child deaths? Nuh uh! Nothin' doin! Hope you enjoyed! Comment and tell me what you think! -LL_17