“Is she going to be all right?” I rasped as someone rushed past me.
“We don’t know,” the doctor said hastily. “Her injuries are extensive, and the surgery she’s about to undergo is high-risk. I want you to be prepared that she might not make it.”
My heart shattered into a million pieces as he rushed past me. All the hope I’d held on to, praying that she would survive, paled in comparison to the reality in front of me now. I could feel Ava’s soul again, but our bond was still terribly weak. She was barely holding on.
“I…” Whatever I was about to say died in my throat. I immediately reached out to Oberi, who landed on my shoulder. Her soft weight pressed into me as she ruffled her feathers, giving me comfort.
What’s going on? I thought she’d be okay, I said to my Familiar.
I told you, Charlie,Oberi said sadly.We brought her soul back to a broken body. But now it’s Ava’s turn.Shehas to decide whether to stay, or go.
My half of our soul became withered and cold. We’d brought Ava back from the dead. But that wasn’t the same thing as saving her life.
Despite the miracle Oberi had just performed, Ava could still die anyway. I could lose her all over again.
I had chosen her in spite of the risks. Ava still had her own choice to make. Oberi and I had done everything we could. The choice for Ava to live or die was now in her hands.
I didn’t know if she could hear me, but I spoke to her anyway.I’ll be waiting for you, pidge. I’ll accept whatever you decide, because I love you that much. But if you can, please… come back to me.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
AVA-MARIE
When I woke up, I was flat on my back, staring up at a marvelous sky.
The colors overhead were brilliant. They were a mixture of orange, yellow, purple and pink, melding together in a delightful array— and above that was a pitch-black night, stars dotting the expanse in what had to be the millions. The two different skies seemed like layers, one on top of the other.
It was somehow dayandnight at the very same time. How incredible.
I didn’t recall how I’d gotten here. One minute, I was riding on Coyote’s back into the stars, and the next, I was flat on my ass in a place I didn’t know.
I caught a streak of red and blue colors gleaming overheard, and the shape of a bushy tail at the edge of my vision.
“Hey, where are you going?” I called out. Coyote continued to sail away and into the gorgeous sky, vanishing from my sight.
So much for showing me around here. But… where washere?
I sat up. I’d been deposited into some kind of grassy plain. The long amber grass weaved in the slight breeze like waves on the ocean. I looked around. There was nothing but hills for as far as I could see, and mountains in the distance that were taller and more majestic than any I had ever witnessed. When I looked behind me, I saw the edge of a redwood forest, spanning outward with trees that were hundreds of feet tall. I saw rainbows, but they didn’t arc like regular rainbows did. They twisted and spiraled in different directions, making all kinds of shapes in the sky, and moving up and down like they were actuallybreathing.The rainbows were alive, and I watched as an array of magical creatures flew around them. Dragons, pegasi, griffins, and other winged animals spun around the rainbows, the colors reflecting off their wings and spanning outward in hundreds of different directions.
Oh,wow.This had to be the Ancestral Lands. I was a bit stunned that I hadn’t ended up in hell like I thought I would, but that surprise faded away as I was overtaken by how beautiful everything was.
The whole place reminded me of home, but Northern California wasn’t as beautiful as the majesty I saw around me. The verycolorsseemed to be more vivid here, and the air smelled sweeter.
In the background of it all was the most mystical singing. The sound of bells, flutes and drums blended with harmonious voices, singing notes in the Hawkei language. I heard the intermingling of female song intertwining with the battle cries of men. I slowly stood to take it all in, turning in place as warmth embraced me from the skies above. The song was overwhelming, overcoming everything in my life that I’d been through until it didn’t matter anymore. In this place, I was safe, and I was loved, and I was free to be myself. I didn’t have to hide anymore. This place was a sanctuary for my soul to accept myself freely as I was.
As the song continued, I realized… holy fucking shit. The voices in my head were gone.The voices were gone.
I was finally out of my stupid brain! I gave awhoopand began to dance on the spot. The voices were history, and my bipolar was gone. I’d never have to deal with them again! Thank the ancestors, because I was over it.
A shape on the horizon caught my attention. I held my breath as I watched a grizzly bear lope across the planes. The bear approached at a slow pace, as if not to startle me. Peace came over me as I recognized one of my spirit guides approaching. The bear shifted, becoming a man.
It was my grandfather. It was weird how much he resembled my dad. I’d seen him in spirit form before when I summoned him during ceremonies, but here, he seemed solid. He wore a pair of jeans and a suit jacket thrown over a t-shirt. He looked like he was in his late forties.
Grandpa Liwanu put his hands in his pockets as he stood in front of me. “Welcome home, Ava.”
“Grandpa.” I put my arms around him and hugged him tightly, and I found that hewassolid. Even more, I could feel the life energy that thrummed through him as vibrantly as my own spirit. I’d been longing to meet him—reallymeet him— my entire life, and now he was finally in my arms. It felt like a miracle.
“Is this really real?” I asked. I’d believed in the Ancestral Lands, but believing in something and actually living it were two completely different things.
