The Empaths (Book one in The Empaths series)

Chapter Twenty-Two

The trek back from the gates was a quiet one. Each person seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, contemplating what could potentially happen in the not-too-distant future.

Lucy spent the entire time thinking about her mother. Those last few hours would stick with her until the day she died. It felt like the kind of memory that would never fade. Each second would be as easy to recall as if it happened only moments ago.

This time though, she decided to share what had happened with her brother.

"What! Mom has been visiting you in your dreams?" Jared had been angry at first. "Why hasn't she come to see me?"

"It's alright, Jared," Lucy said, placing her hands firmly on his shoulders to calm him. "She said that she's going to see you soon. She was just concerned that if she became too much of a presence in our lives, we would get too attached and it would make it that much harder to let go."

Jared nodded silently – his lips pressed into a firm line. Lucy could feel the hurt flowing from him.

"She's not picking favourites, Jared, do you hear me?" Lucy said, giving him a soft shake. "She was just trying to prepare me for what's to come, that's all."

Jared looked at her and again, he nodded silently before looking at his feet.

Lucy bent to get his attention, pulling his eyes up to look right into hers. "Mom said she can't wait to see you."

His face softened then and a smile finally broke free. "She did?" he replied hopefully.

"Of course," Lucy said hugging him.

"Well, that's fine then," Jared replied, trying to hide the sniffle that suggested he might be letting the tears escape from his eyes. Before Lucy pulled back to look at him, he wiped them away.

Lucy smiled and lightly patted her brother's cheek. "You'll see her soon, I promise."

She smiled to herself now when she thought back to the joy on his face at her words.

After her conversation with Jared, Lucy also decided that she needed to tell the others, too.

Her mother had given her one last piece of information about the power transfer with before she left. She said that, while it was usually a private moment shared only between the giver and receiver of the power, this time, it was different. Elizabeth said that their entire group needed to be there.

Eden had agreed completely. "Yes, I think that would be wise," she said, looking to her husband, who nodded once in response.

"Mom also told me something else," Lucy continued to the group as they all stood around, listening intently.

"What did she say?" Scarlett had asked, looking nervous.

"She said that we will need to bind our circle together," Lucy continued. "And it must happen on the night I receive her power."

"Our circle being You, Me, Lilith, Rachel, Jared and Tristan, right?" Riley asked, his brow creased in concentration.

Lucy nodded. "She said that with the circle bound, we will be strong enough to take on the surge of power that is sure to blow from the gates as soon as they open. We need to be linked together, so that we can create a force so strong that the power will either be absorbed into us, or break against us like water on rock, washing away into the earth around us – mom's words, not mine," Lucy finished with a shrug.

"I do hope it's the latter," Eden replied, rubbing her forehead. "It does make perfect sense," she continued. "You need to be strong, and binding you together will give you the strength you require, for sure."