“Start by isolating your perception of your own soul’s boundaries, and then search for a fragment of something Other.”
“You say that like this is a common thing humans do.” Her brow furrows, but she keeps her eyes shut. “I’m not a monk. I don’t meditate. I have absolutely no idea how I’m supposed to feel the boundaries of mysouland shit.”
“Try,”I growl through gritted teeth.
Her pugnacious tenacity is so very taxing.
KAE
This is ridiculous.
Several minutes of a whole lot ofnothingpass.
“There’s nothing there, Abaddon. Can’t you do whatever you did to aggravate it?” Not that I particularly want to experience that uncomfortable, oppressive feeling again, but at least it was enough to convince me that there is, in fact, something else inside of me.
“I would advise against it.”
I half-grunt, half-growl in response.
A few more minutes pass.
Still. Nothing.
I don’t have whatever angel sense he uses to detect souls. I’m not even sure anyhuman can do such a thing! My frustration builds and builds until I finally flick my eyes open, glaring at him sideways as I snap, “You’re making me look for an imaginary object.”
His arms are crossed, the metal of his black armor gleaming in the afternoon light. The slight breeze whips his creepy cape around, and his silver hair tousles slightly. Somehow, he still manages to look both menacing and elegant.
As if the bastard can’t believe I’m being serious, he slowly raises his eyebrows. “I can assure you, souls certainly exist.”
“Yeah? Then where the hell are they?” I motion vaguely around me. “Why can’t I see them? Touch them?”
“You can. They are simply in a higher dimension.”
If he were anyone but an angel, I’d declare he’s on drugs.
Unfortunately, though, I can never revert to my prior understanding of reality. If he says souls are real, then they’re most likely real… But I’m pissed off, and I care very little about common sense when I’m angry.
“Oh? And how does a mere human such as myself get to see this higher dimension?”
“You already did.” His stark, pale eye stare blankly at me. “You were in pain earlier, weren’t you? When I tried to observe the star? The line between the dimensions blurred in that moment.”
“Well, then do it again.” I tip my chin up, trying to bolster my confidence. “I’ll try to recognize the difference and use it to wedge myself in.”
“No.”
“No?” I repeat.
“No, I do not want to disturb your ‘biblical parasite’ again. It’s too volatile. There are other ways.”
“What other—” I choke mid-sentence at the sudden unnaturalsensation that washes over me. My eyes widen, darting to Abaddon’s face, seeking some sort of explanation for it. But his blank expression gives away nothing. Of course.
It feels like I’m literally being pulled towards him—and yet, not at all. My body isn’t moving by a physical force, per se. But the compulsion, the pull… It’s like an unignorable instinct.
“Well?” he asks. And I swear to God, the corners of his lips pull up ever-so-slightly. “You said you wanted to recognize the difference. What do you feel?”
My hand grabs at my chest, as if I can sever whatever hold he has over me. My breathing is ragged?—
“Breathe, Kae.”
