Chapter Thirty-Four – Likosa, you are….
With her daughter staring her in the face, Niukshi quickly gave in.
That little girl had her wrapped around her finger, and I could already tell why.
There was something about her that calmed everyone around her.
I even found myself wanting to ask if she needed anything or if there was something I could do for her.
It didn’t take long to organize things. Once they’d made up their minds, we left the garden behind Likosa’s old home.
“As long as you’re calm, you won’t fall off,” Likosa said, and we all frowned.
“I’m sorry, fall off what?” Jericha asked as we reached the front of the house.
“I think she means those.” Rayna pointed to the sky, and we all stood in awe as four butterflies the size of moving trucks landed in front of us. They touched down gently, the wind from their wings giving us a gentle push as they did.
“We’re riding butterflies?” I asked.
“Technically, they are called rictees, but yes.” Likosa smiled. “They’re gentle creatures.”
“This is beyond anything I could have ever imagined,” I said as she helped me onto the back of the rictee.
I looked over and found Jericha helping Whitney while Rayna was already sitting comfortably on her own and Niukshi held on to her daughter atop another.
Likosa’s home was on an island all by itself, which further made me realize just how important she was in her world.
We flew across massive waters for what felt like a half hour until we reached the mainland.
The rictees carried us over small town clusters into the heart of the land, where Likosa said we would find the council of her world.
Landing, we were met with shocked expressions by many, but no one said a word.
“They won’t verbally acknowledge me until the council speaks on my return.”
“Wow, it’s really strict here,” I whispered.
“In Kinasha, if you break the trust of one, you break the trust of all. For most, my worthiness is still up for debate.”
The building we landed in front of was shaped like an egg, and as I looked around, I realized it was a common theme. Even the towns we flew over were the same shape. I wondered whether it held some significance for them.
Inside the building, six women dressed in long gowns ushered us down a small hall. When we reached the end of it, they split our group in two. On one side, Likosa stood with her ex and daughter. On the other, we, the outsiders, stood together.
“Wait,” Likosa said as she grabbed my hand. “She comes with us.”
She looked at me with a questioning gaze, wondering if I would want to join her. I only nodded. With the accepted offer, they stepped aside and let me join her.
While Rayna, Whitney, and Jericha were being escorted to what I only assumed was some sort of waiting area. Since everyone refused to speak, I joined Likosa. Maybe it was na?ve of me, but I didn’t expect Likosa to ask me to go with her. It just felt like a private moment I shouldn’t be a part of.
But she didn’t let my hand go.
We walked behind Niukshi and Ashanu, and each time the girl glanced back at her, Likosa tightened her grip.
Again, I had to stop myself from shifting their emotions. When I looked at Likosa, I wondered what was going through her mind, if this was another potential last.
After moving down a long hall, its walls made of gray stone with beautiful brown speckling, we reached a chamber.
It had the same structural shape as the rest of the building.
The ceiling curved into a dome, but at the top were skylights that gave a natural glow to the space with moss-covered walls.
Once inside, Likosa and Ashanu were pulled away from us.
I stood in awkward silence across from her ex-wife until they both returned draped in white robes.
I received no explanation as two egg-shaped glass pods were lifted from slits in the floor. The intricate lettering glowed on the glass as the pods floated above the floor, and though I could not understand it, it felt familiar. Ancestral.
The robed women directed Likosa to one pod and her daughter to the other, dousing both in a glittery liquid before they entered.
And then, we waited. For a long while, nothing happened.
I worried it meant something was wrong, but I could see how calm Likosa was.
As I focused on her energy, her aura lit up like a rainbow.
And then, like arms stretching out to hold someone, her light moved from her pod, passing through the glass and activating the etchings along the surface.
The lettering became stamped into the energy like translucent seals as it crossed the room and passed through the glass of Ashanu’s pod.
Watching it, I felt a deeper understanding of what happened. I had to control my breathing as this emotional reunion happened in front of me. Likosa’s energy searched for one born from it, while Ashanu’s searched for one it belonged to.
Likosa’s energy turned hot pink, and her daughter’s shifted between purple, green, and yellow before finally settling into a deeper shade of pink.
A flash of angry energy slapped me in the side of the face, and I glanced over at Niukshi to find her standing there, lit up in a deep red.
It looked like the only thing keeping her in place was the way she had her arms wrapped around her body.
She was a mixture of emotional expression—anger about Likosa being there, then spikes of jealousy and then a deep and sudden sadness.
She continued on this emotional rollercoaster as she watched them.
It was when the doors opened that a soft song rang out, and into the chamber filed women of all ages. They hummed together a sound of welcoming and celebration, but still, no words. I returned my attention to the pod and watched as Likosa’s energy danced with her daughter’s.
Smiles stretched across their faces as their energy played together, and then the pods moved.
They floated, the glass becoming fluid as they moved, and once they reached each other, what was two pods became one.
In the center of the enclosure, mother and daughter finally embraced, and I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer.
For the first time, I felt a mother’s love.
Not as a child, but through Likosa, I experienced the complete and total willingness to sacrifice yourself for your child.
The way her heart healed with that hug was something I would think about for years to come.
Every time I got to peek behind Likosa’s veil, I felt something deep and longing.
With Ashanu in her arms, that longing went away, and Likosa felt at peace.
Light applause filled the space as the pod opened and Likosa stepped outside, still holding Ashanu. The girl looked up at her mother with so much love in her eyes. I waited for the women to speak. Cleary, this meant Likosa was welcome back, but they all remained silent outside of the clapping.
Then, the doors opened again, and a woman walked in.
She was everything. If I could imagine an older Likosa, one who’d lived a full and happy life, it would be her.
She had a long mane of grey above a full face with high cheekbones, full lips, and a wide nose that reminded me of my grandmother’s. She was the first to speak.
“Likosa.” The deep melody of her voice made my heart flutter. “It is so good to have you home with us again. Welcome back.”
And with those words, the energy shifted. I saw shoulders ease, lips turn up into full smiles, and the energy turned anxious. Everyone wanted their chance to greet Likosa, but they were still waiting for permission.
“Farada, thank you.” She bowed her head in a show of respect for the woman. “It is good to be home.”
As Likosa spoke to Farada, I noticed how Niukshi’s energy shifted from anger to fear.
This was not the outcome she’d hoped for.
The tension continued to build as Farada purposely ignored her.
It was like watching a child who had clearly messed up and was just waiting for their mother to acknowledge them and hand out their punishment.
But there was clearly a procedure to follow. Farada spoke to Likosa in warm tones, her eyes never once glancing in Niukshi’s direction, not even when she spoke to Ashanu and talked about how much the child had grown and how beautiful she was becoming.
After the pleasantries ended, she finally stepped back and let the others greet Likosa. They did so with such enthusiasm. They circled her, all saying variations of the same welcome. Likosa was truly missed in her world, and witnessing their love for her gave me mixed feelings.
On one hand, I was, of course, happy for her.
And on the other, you wish they would kick her ass out of here so she can come live with you.
I pushed the selfish thought away just as Farada spoke again.
“While I am thrilled to have you home, I fear we must shift our focus.” She looked at Niukshi, who bowed her bald head.
“False information spoiled our perception of one of our greatest minds and hearts. I apologize for our willingness to accept these words as truth without further investigation. That was a horrible oversight on the part of the council. We will work to repair the trust with Likosa, and that starts with addressing the source of the lies.”
Niukshi took a small step forward, her eyes on the ground as she moved.
“To our people, nothing is more sacred than the trust that exists between us. It is how we move ahead as a people, growing and cultivating life. Niukshi, you have broken that sacred trust. You lied about Likosa’s whereabouts and even made her child believe she didn’t care enough to stay here.
With the help of your friends—who will also face judgment for their actions—you altered the barrier to keep her from coming home. You will answer for this.”
Niukshi’s head lifted, and her wide eyes stared at Farada.