Chapter 34
Dylan trudged through the woods. Gabriel had spent the last few days out meditating alone. Trying to center himself. Dylan thought it was endearing, but something about it felt like Gabriel was avoiding him. He prayed nothing was wrong, but it worried him.
He found Gabriel sitting cross-legged beside the stream.
“Has Carina talked to you yet?” Gabriel didn’t open his eyes when he spoke.
Dylan raised an eyebrow. “No. What’s she supposed to be talking to me about?”
Gabriel looked at him, his eyes searching Dylan’s. “I can’t say exactly. Something about our power.”
Dylan chuckled. “Yeah, she keeps saying I have more potential but can’t figure out how to get me to use it, and I sure as hell don’t know.”
Gabriel inhaled sharply. “She keeps comparing me to a constipated child.”
Dylan bit his lip, stifling a laugh. “Do we know what we need to do if we ever find our magical laxative?”
Gabriel’s sour expression melted. “Honestly, I’m not sure. I think she and Johnny have a plan, but we have to get our shit right first.” He sighed. “This isn’t as easy for me as it is for you. I have to work harder at it than you do.”
Dylan sat down beside him, putting an arm around his shoulder. “Hey now. Gabe. Look at me. It’s not that it’s easier for me, it’s that I don’t doubt it. I did at first, but being a puppy for a few minutes took that away. I know you. You doubt yourself, let alone all of this. It’s okay. You’ve never been yourself for what you’re worth.” He smiled. “But I see you. I thought maybe I could see you enough for both of us, but maybe not.” He leaned in and kissed Gabriel’s cheek. “Whatever doubts you have, forget them. You are enough. You are a badass.”
Gabriel chuckled. “That sounds like the name of a self-help book trying to be edgy.”
Dylan shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. It’s the truth. I thought you were amazing before you could punch a hole in the universe.”
Behind them, a twig snapped. “Good, I found you both. This might be less awkward if I tell you both at the same time.” Carina’s tone was serious, but there was a hint of laughter behind it.
Dylan stood. “Carina. What is it? Gabriel said you wanted to talk to me.”
A soft smile formed on her lips. “You could say that. Sit.”
Dylan sat back down. Gabriel had turned to face away from the stream and look at Carina.
“You are both very special. There’s no getting around that. Dylan, you are the product of a last ditch effort to create a being powerful enough to end this war.” Her smile widened as she turned to Gabriel. “I had heard rumors of a Liminan baby being hidden away just before the invasion. The child of the strongest of Liminan families. Given the way time is different here, it’s possible that was your ancestor.”
Dylan thought back. “That fits with what I saw. Granted, there could have been a lot of those refugee babies.”
Carina raised an eyebrow. “You saw? How did you see?
Dylan explained the vision he had, following Gabriel’s bloodline back. Seeing the rift open, the child, and the figure doing something that caused him to fall into a seizure.
Carina nodded, though her eyes were wide. “Very few Liminans could get to this world. It was always special. The gates were the easiest way to get here. Fewer still would have been able to see you there on the vision plane, let alone be able to push you back into your body.” She cleared her throat. “I will not dance around this. You are both holding back. I think neither of you is conscious of it, but you have to sort it out before you can reach your full potential. Before we can try to end this bloodshed. I would say time is of the essence, but given what Johnny said concerning the way time works here, it may not be. However, I want to get home. Johnny wants to get home. We want this war to be over. We want to start our family.” She blushed. “No offence, but we don’t want to do it here.”
Dylan nodded. “I get that. What do we need to do?”
She smirked. “You need to get out of your own way. I am not as strong as your mother or grandmother, but I can feel it, Dylan. The way you hurt. Your heart is screaming into the wind. I do not know what caused your pain, but you have to let it go.”
Dylan opened his mouth to speak, but she raised her hand to cut him off.
“Gabriel. You believe you are not good enough. That you are not strong enough. I believe you are.” She glanced toward Dylan. “And he thinks you are, too.”
Gabriel scoffed. “Is that all? Just wave my hand and get over my inadequacies?”
She sighed. “I’m not talking about your power. You don’t think you are good enough for Dylan. Even now, after everything you have shared with each other.” She closed her eyes. “He does not compare you to your brother.”
Gabriel sounded as if he was choking.
“Dylan. You hold back because you have been hurt, but also because you are afraid of endangering Gabriel. He is not fragile. He needs you to see that.”
Gabriel’s eyes flew open. “What are you saying?”
She shrugged. “I cannot begin to understand the depths of your emotions, but you have to get them under control before you can accomplish anything. I cannot understand how the others can stand to be in the same room with you as often as they are. If I can feel this, it must be roaring inside their heads.”
Johnny came up behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “What she’s trying to say to put it in words you can understand is that you two need to get over yourselves. Dylan, you have to get over the breakup and deal with what Gabe’s brother did. Gabriel, you have to stop worrying that Dylan compares you to your brother and sees you as a consolation prize.”
Carina smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
Dylan and Gabriel stared at them both. Johnny shrugged. “What? It was that or tell you to just fuck and get it out of the way. I’ll be as graphic and vulgar as I need to be to get you numbskulls to understand this.” He glared at Dylan. “Especially you, Coates. Your ancestors were always thick-headed.”
Carina laughed and gave his arm a light slap. “We should leave them alone now. Walk with me, my love. They have much to discuss.”