Page 95 of Sleeping Redemption
Atlas reached over and rested his hand on top of Kinley’s, squeezing it softly.
“Is there any risk to her?” he asked, and rightfully so.
Without hesitation, I responded, “I would never consider it if there were, mate.”
“Do it,” Sy interjected bluntly.
That snagged the guardian angel’s attention, his head turning suddenly to look at our self-elected, fearless leader.
“Sy, do you really think—” Atlas cut him off mid-question.
“What other option do we have here? Look at her!” He gestured his hand towards our girl. “The longer she’s like this, do you really think that’s going to be beneficial to anybody?”
A light sigh escaped my lips as I looked at them both and put on my mediator hat. My deft fingers wiggled, and a black Montera hat appeared in my hands. With a flip, twist, and spin, I placed the traditional bullfighter accessory on top of my head.
The look on Sy’s face made me think he was one snort away from making a good bull.
“Let’s all take a deep breath,” I coached them both. “With me on the count of three. Un, deux, trois.”
Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, letting the scent of discord fill my lungs before blowing it all out through my mouth.
Opening my eyes, I noticed that neither of them followed suit. My shoulders dropped in response.
Addressing Atlas first, I said, “For what it’s worth, mate, Sylas may be right this time. I fear that the longer she is stuck in this condition, the riskier it becomes.”
Then, I shifted my gaze to Sy. “If I am going to do this, I need to know what imagery to present to her. It should be something profoundly comforting that speaks to her most basic nature.”
Sylas looked at me and didn’t miss a beat in offering up a suggestion. “Heaven, specifically the Garden.”
My, my, my. This was going to be a new one for me. Though I was up for the challenge. Anything to help bring healing to our angel in whatever way possible.
Determination filled my steps as I strode over to the bed while removing my hat and tossing it at Sy. I laid behind Kinley’s back, still leaving a small gap between us.
Slowly, my fingers slid over her elbow until I had a light hold on her.
I whispered in her ear, “Alright, love. Let’s take you home.”
I never thoughtI’d see the actual Garden of Eden, but here I was. Even though I knew this was a vision that I fabricated inside Kinley’s mind, it was founded on pieces of her oldest memories.
It wasn’t entirely what I expected. It wasn’t a garden in the traditional sense. No, it reminded me of an Amazonian jungle. Far more wild and free and a lot less pretty and pristine. Suddenly, the serpent metaphor in Adam and Eve’s origin story made far more sense.
There was a clearing in the brush where the forest canopy opened up just enough to filter in a wide beam of sunshine. In the center, Kinley sat on a massive tree root exposed above the earth.
She was radiant looking, her hair entirely a pure platinum blonde with no raven strands in sight. The halter A-line dressshe wore had a shimmer to the ultra-white fabric that stood out amongst the greenery. The folded set of wings at her back matched the stunning white of her dress. Much like her hair, there wasn’t a speck of darkness to be found. It was a look on her that I had never seen before, one that made her appear so…pure and untainted.
It became obvious when her mind caught onto the change of her surroundings, drawing her awareness to the illusion instead of the darkness she had been lost in. Her eyes darted around, soaking in the sight of the replication of the holy garden.
For now, I kept my presence shielded from her so I could stand and observe. Interfering too soon could make this entire effort nothing but wasted mind games.
She stood, walking over to a vibrant orange blossom growing at the base of the tree behind her. Her fingers delicately brushed against the fragile petals, admiring its beauty. Her movements were slow and deliberate, with an air of elegance.
Seeing her observe the peace of her surroundings eased the burden on my heart. I wished I could keep her in this reality for all of eternity. However, even I had my limitations.
I removed the cloaking from my presence and swallowed past the lump in my throat. I called out to her. “Love.”
When she turned, the immense joy that filled her eyes brought me so much hope.
“Rook!” She ran to me, tossing her arms around my neck in a grand embrace that brought a bittersweet smile to my face.
