Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
SARAH
“It all adds up, in the end.”
—Evelyn Baker
Inside my head, which is currently singular, and that’s not fun
I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHY I was awake and singular, or who the stranger calling me by an unfamiliar name was, or why I was supposed to know him. Then there was a pressure against my mind, hard and almost stabbing, sending me toppling backward into the depths of my own thoughts.
I pressed back against the intrusion, trying to shove it out, and a male voice said, Now Sarah, is that any way to greet an old friend? Look at it this way, princess: you messed with my head. Now I get to mess with yours.
I turned in the emptiness of my mind, trying to see where the voice was coming from. I don’t know you. I never “messed” with your head. Go away and let me rejoin the collective.
I don’t think so, princess, said the voice, and it was amused now, almost entertained. I don’t think you want that, either, because you left instructions for getting you loose.
What do you mean?
I mean this. A pearl appeared in front of me, floating in midair, nacreous and white and about the size of my head in the waking world. You made it for me, didn’t you? Because you knew your meddling cousins would drag me into this, one way or another, and you knew I’d have the strength to break it.
I didn’t know what that thing was, but sudden terror filled me. If he broke it, terrible things would happen. I threw up the idea of my hands. No, wait!
Why should I?
I don’t want to go back. I know I wasn’t always part of the collective, but now that I am, I’m happy. This is peace. I’m not alone. I’m not struggling for anything. Please, give it back and go. Just let me be.
You make a fair point, princess. But I have a counterpoint you might be interested in hearing.
What’s that?
Breaking this thing will probably hurt you, a lot.
I’ve worked too hard to be a good person to relish causing you pain, but you cost me eight years with my sister, and if pain is an inescapable consequence, well.
I’m not going to feel too bad about that.
The pearl split down the center, and prismatic white light began cascading out, eradicating everything it touched. Oops.
I didn’t respond to that. I was too busy screaming.