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“Idon’t want to be in the gray place, either!Iwant myMommy!”Lunastarted to run through the door butHannagripped her hand, stopping her.
“Wait!”Shecrouched down beside the little girl, putting herself on her level. “Listento me,Luna,” she said firmly. “Iknow what you want to do—you want to run in there and hug yourMommyright away—right?”
“Yes!Yes,Ido!”Thelittle girl was beginning to cry now—a good sign,Hannathought, that she could produce tears in this vast, arid desert.
“Butfirst you have to jumpintothe little girl in the bed,”Hannatold her. “She’spart of you, remember?Untilthe two of you join up again, yourMommywon’t be able to hear you or see you.Doyou understand?”
“Ithinkso…”Lunasaid slowly. “Jumpin the girl on the bed andthenmyMommycan see me?”
“Andhear you and hug you,”Hannatold her, nodding. “Canyou promise to do that for me?”
“Yes, yes—Ipromise!”Lunawas tugging at her hand.Hereyes were fixed on the scene in the hospital room.Hanna’swere too.Thegirl in the bed, her grieving mother—AuntLunaandUncleBruin, who was holdingHanna’sown limp body carefully and giving her worried looks.
Hannawanted to jump into her own body as well, but she knew she had to wait and be sure thatLunagot into hers first.Ifshe somehow missed and wound up back in theShadowLands,Hannahad to be there to catch her and redirect her.
“Okay,” she said to the little girl. “Onthe count of three, you’re going to run into the room and jump into that little girl.Areyou ready?One…two…three!”
“Three!”Lunashouted at the same time.Shelet go ofHanna’shand and jumped through the open doorway, directly onto the hospital bed.
Hannawatched anxiously as she settled into the limp, pale body.Shehoped the spirit hadn’t been gone too long for it to join with the physical body again.
Butjust as she was getting worried,LittleLuna’seyes flew open and she began to wave her arms.
“Mommy!Mommy!” she cried.
“Ohmy goodness!Look—look!”
Themother’s voice was almost a shriek.Immediatelyshe had her daughter in her arms and tears of happiness were filling her eyes.
“Youcame back!”Hannaheard her sobbing. “Ohmy sweet girl, my baby—you came back to me!”
Feelinga warm glow of satisfaction,Hannawalked through the door herself.Witha little hop, she found herself back in her own body, which was still being held gently byUncleBruin.
Asshe blinked her eyes and looked up at him, she saw relief spread over his bearded face.
“ThanktheGoddess!” he exclaimed hoarsely. “Ifeared the worst!”
“Iknew thatHannacould do it—Iknew she could find her!”AuntLunawas suddenly at her side, hugging her even beforeUncleBruincould put her down. “Ohsweetheart—I’mso proud of you!Forthe first time, you used yourGiftinstead ofitusingyou.You’vetruly come into your own today.”Shelooked over her shoulder and frowned. “But…Ifeel a cool draft.Youdidn’t leave the door open—did you?”
“The…the door?”Blearily,Hannatried to focus on the place where she had opened the door to theShadowLands.Toher concern, she saw that she had indeed forgotten to shut it.Itstill stood open, showing the gray and featureless twilight of whatLittleLunahad called “the gray place.”
“Idon’t think—” she began and then she saw them…
Twoglowing red eyes were staring at her from just inside the doorway.AsHannawatched in horror, an evil mouth filled with long, jagged fangs slowly widened into a grin.Andthen a long arm that seemed to be made of the substance of shadows reached out for her.
“Hanna, my sweet little slut,” a voice hissed in her ears. “Atlast we meet again…”
22
WRAITH
“Warrior, arise—a choice lies before you!”
Wraithknew at once who the voice belonged to—it was the voice he had been waiting to hear from the moment of his death, when he had so foolishly drunk the poison potion.
“Goddess!”Herose from the chair he had been hovering over inHanna’ssuite and bowed low before her.
TheMotherofAllLifehas a beauty so terrible it is difficult for mortals to perceive.ButWraithwas no longer strictly mortal and he saw her for a moment when he dared to lift his eyes.Thesight was one of such shining beauty as to strike a warrior blind and dumb and for a moment, he could say nothing else.
