Between Darkness and Light Trilogy Read Free Page B

goddess… She
puts her arm around me, once again bathing my soul in perfect
music. “Better still, my little muse, you may call me Cailli – or
Grandmother, if you wish.”
    I can hardly believe my ears, “Are you truly
our grandmother?”
    She smiles and then laughs gently. “Not
quite, my little one, but “Greats” don’t trip over the tongue well
at all. Grandmother sounds much better, don’t you think?” I can
only nod as I try to assimilate her words and the music that fills
my soul while she touches me.
    My mind busy grappling with her revelations,
William takes up the conversational reins. “The Path of
Enlightenment, what is that?” It’s easy to hear that those words
ring a cosmic bell within him; he seems almost giddy. The ancient
one, no, think of her as she wishes; Cailli, notices as well. She
looks at him thoughtfully, and with an almost amused expression as
she replies.
    “It's a staircase, actually. It is a place
of testing and learning, the place where all the dimensions come
together in equal strength and become joined as if one. The
greatest singularity of all. You will see when you are ready but
not before; to ascend the Staircase prematurely can kill, or worse
yet, destroy the mind. I will take each of you to it when it is
your time.” A quiet ringing comes from a painting of a great tree
that hangs on the wall next to a fireplace. Cailli looks faintly
surprised. “That didn’t take long at all. Well, speaking of time, I
think I’ll be sending you for your interview with the Emperor,
now.”
    William looks positively distressed, “But it
hasn’t been long at all yet!”
    Cailliach smiles, “It has been precisely as
long as I say it has been. Time is a dimension, child, and just as
controllable as the others… to those who have mastered the
Path.”
    I see a playful glint behind her eyes and
can’t resist asking, “And to she who created it?”
    “Effortless.”
    Our surroundings sparkle around us a third
time, and we are left standing in yet another room, this time
without our escort. A man sits behind a desk in what looks like an
outer office. He is a large man, yet not so large as the Emperor.
He appears well built, and yet he doesn't sound quite right to me.
Perhaps it is his hair, or lack thereof. I can hear that he should
have a fine head of light blond hair, but he doesn't – he is
clean-shaven. Why would anyone remove something perfectly fine that
the Universe has gifted one with?
    He looks up, “Exactly on time, of course.
His Imperial Majesty will be with you momentarily.” His tone sounds
entirely unimpressed, even annoyed – I find myself instinctively
disliking him. I reach out to take Williams’ arm and speak to his
mind; one of the many skills we have always shared, but was beyond
our people.
    ‘Little brother, things are going so fast…
how are you faring – I’ll admit I’m… a bit overwhelmed.’
    ‘Agreed! But it’s exciting too, isn’t
it?’
    ‘I suppose, in much the same way that
falling off a high cliff with no way of breaking one’s fall is
exciting.’
    ‘Oh come on, Sis, I’ve never seen you
hesitate in the face of the unknown before. Besides, I’ve got a
really good feeling – there’s something about this place that
feels… well, like I’m supposed to be here.’ Before I can respond
the door before us opens, and William and I walk forward, arm in
arm.
    “So…” the Emperor looks us over critically,
“descendants of Nebulaea, I would say. Who are your parents?”
    We glance at each other, then I reply, “The
people called Mathair ‘beautiful lady…’”
    “And you never knew her name?”
    “She was taken from us when I was quite
young, William was little more than a babe.”
    “And your father?”
    William and I exchange another silent glance
before I answer, “We have never known a father, there was only
Mathair.” He gazes disapprovingly at us.
    “Just what we need – unidentified
foundlings. Tell me, how did you