Specters rushed and flurried, as if a million bats had been disturbed from sleep. I ducked as they whipped past with smoke-like wings, swirling up to the ceiling, then back to the floor and rushing off into shadows.
But a glimmer in front of me gave me courage and hope.
I walked forward and raised a palm up.
“Mom?” I tried again.
The silvery shadow approached us, curling around my hand without touching. I reached out to grasp it, and my fingersseared as if touching dry ice. I cried out, and the whispers drowned my thoughts.
Ranth fell to the floor with me, arms around me as I covered my ears, writhing against the whispers.
I don’t know if it was seconds or minutes, but when I opened my eyes, the whispers were gone. My hand had been healed, and Ranth’s arms were still around me.
“What happened?” I croaked, my throat raw from screaming.
Ranth whispered in my mind, “You made contact, but the Sisters do not have to let her go. Your mother is part of this place. For her to leave, you would have to bargain with them. They will want things that you do not wish to give.”
“Such as?”
“Your life for hers.”
The cold bit into me. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“I tried, but you wouldn’t listen. They collect life to give them energy. If not your life, then someone else’s.”
“I wouldn’t sacrifice someone else, and my mother would never forgive me if I replaced her here. There must be another way.”
“There might be. But I’m not sure you can do it.”
“Try me,” I said, looking into his liquid-brown eyes.
His arms tightened around me, and he leaned into me. His voice was in my head again. “You could bargain with power, then leave before you pay. It would be unfair, but you have tasted of the earth…” His voice was in my head, but he folded something into my hand.
A leaf.
“You mean trick them by using earth magic?” I thought back.
“They will have to be convinced you will give your power to them. They cannot see inside your head unless they touch you, and here you do not have a form they can touch. Still, your words must be true for them to believe.”
“But will they bargain? Why would they do that?”
“The Sisters can pull a soul, or they can take power from a human. It’s a similar process. If they agree, then…”
“What stops them from killing me?”
“Nothing. They take what they want, and you have come to their domain. But you have power that you can fight them with.”
“That didn’t help my mother.”
“Your mother couldn’t do what you do.”
“No. She couldn’t walk in the planes like I can….”
“I would guess there are other things she could not do as you could. Your strength is your power, and they can try to wrest it from you, but you can stop it. We can. The words…” The silvery shadows darted, lurking closer.
“Yes, I know. Okay. How do I call the Sisters?”
“Ask your mother to come with you. When her spirit curls around you this time, make your bargain.”
