Page 89 of I Accidentally Hired a Shadow Walker
“Okay.” I placed my hand in his as the shadows opened.
On the other side of the path was the opening to a cave. We stood there together, and I felt that tingle of intuition. Something inside me told me I knew this place, but how could I? I was in another world, far from anything I’d ever seen or experienced. But still, that feeling of déjà vu was there.
“You ready?” Raymond asked me, his eyes looking straight ahead of him at the opening.
“Do you expect me to say yes?” I laughed nervously. “I don’t even know what’s in there.”
“No, I don’t. Let's go.”
We entered the cave, first walking through a narrow space before we came to a wider space with curved walls that reached to an impossibly high ceiling. And then, it hit me: another wave of familiarity. Ihadbeen there before. Confusion washed over me as I saw the dark pool of water, its surface moving with soft ripples.
“This isn’t possible!” I frowned, pointing at the water. “How is this here?”
Raymond looked at me, his eyes wide. He gripped my hand like he was about to snatch me up and carry me out of there.
“You’re here. Finally,” a cool, melodic voice sang out.
Our heads snapped to the back of the cavern where she appeared. Her skin glowed, and those eyes, soft pink orbs, found my face.
The woman I’d dreamed of all those years ago.
Wrapped around her neck was the scarf I’d left behind.
22
Oh, Hey, Likosa!
“This can’t be real.” I backed away from the woman who approached. “There’s no way.”
“What’s wrong?” Raymond moved with me, his body tensing like he was preparing to defend me.
“She…she—I—” I couldn’t find the words to answer him because I was completely freaked out. Standing in front of me was a woman I’d dreamed of all those years ago. There was no way she was real.
“Oh, Jericha, welcome back.” She smiled at me like we were old friends.
“What?” He looked at me. “You’ve been here before?”
“That was a dream.” I shook my head. “None of that was real. It couldn’t be.”
“That was no dream. You were here.” She held up the end of the scarf and waved it at me. “You left this here. See? I kept it all this time because, well, because it's pretty and very soft, but also because I knew you would need it again someday.”
“You're real.” I relaxed as I looked at her face, realizing she had, in fact, changed my life for the better. I didn’t know if it was self-regulation or some magicshe worked on me, but I suddenly felt at ease. All I could think of was how many things had shifted in my life after that dream. For years, I attributed everything good in my life to that moment. “You're like an actual living, breathing person, or demon, or I'm sorry, I don't really know what your classification is here.”
“That's alright, take your time.” Her lips lifted in a soft smile as she glanced at Raymond then back at me. “And I’m not a demon. I’m actually not even from the Bane. This is a second home for me.”
“How? How did any of that happen? Why did you bring me here, and why did you send me back without telling me anything more? You brought me here.” I pointed to the pool of water behind her. “And you took me into the water. I heard things, things that took me a long time to understand. Why?”
“To help you. You were one of the first I found from your bloodline. I let the rest of them come to their discoveries on their own, but you, I knew I had to do more. You were alone, the first one I found who was entirely on your own.” A heavy sigh escaped her lips before she continued, her voice thick with a blend of worry and concern. “I watched you for a while, bouncing from home to home as a girl. And when you found your foster mother, I realized she could help you. She was magical in her own right, though I'm not sure you ever knew.”
“She was?” My throat suddenly burned as I thought of the woman who took me in and cared for me like I was her own. “I never knew she had magic.”
“She might not have known it either. There are plenty of humans in that world who have inherent abilities but never truly unlock them.” She sucked her teeth. “A shame, really. Imagine how amazing your world would be if not for all that suppressed magic. But if you hide your gifts for too long, they become dormant.”
“Couldn’t you have awakened hers like you did mine?” I asked.
“Not exactly. Yours were genetically suppressed, needing a key to unlock them.” She mimed turning a key. “Hers were not; they were there, just unused. Also, while magical, she wouldn’t have been that powerful. I found it fascinating how her abilities aligned so well with yours. Think of the way she taught you how to take care of the Earth, how to bond with and care for your plants. Your power is based on the element, so it made sense for me to help you unlock that side of yourself so you could learn from her and really appreciate what she taught you.”
“Anyone want to fill me in on what you guys are talking about?” Raymond looked at us. “It sounds touching, but I’m starting to feel like I’m missing a pretty significant piece of information about my…you…and I don’t like that feeling.”
