The Truth Behind Those Eyes

Chapter Forty-Eight

Nikki spent the next few days in and out of consciousness, waking at various hours of the day to eat and drink. Whenever she came too, she opened her eyes to find Josh and Ezekius glued to her sides. As time passed, the pain lessoned and she began to regain strength. Almost two weeks after the battle in the forest, she dragged herself up and sat staring at her two companions.

"You have colour in your cheeks again." Josh beamed

"I feel much better. Think I might even get up today." She returned his grin briefly before averting her eyes. She didn't want to have the upcoming conversation but she also knew the longer she put it off the harder it would be to broach the subject with him.

"Josh, we need to talk."

His face dropped. "No. Not yet. Let's wait until you're completely healed."

It was obvious by his reaction that he knew what was coming and like her he wanted to avoid it but Nikki knew they had to face reality.

"No. This won't wait. You need to hear what I've got to say and then you and your friends--"

"Our friends. They're your friends too."

"No. Maybe. They used to be." She sighed heavily; he wasn't making this easy.

Nikki cocked her head trying to decipher the best approach. She needed to make Josh understand but she didn't know how to achieve this without angering or upsetting him. Absently she lifted her hand to her bare neck and stroked the flesh where the necklace, his necklace, had hung.

"Do you still feel me Josh? Without the necklace?"

A tiny smile reappeared as he nodded. "Yeah, it took a little time, after you took it off, but I can still feel you. I knew you were frightened and then really confused. Then you went completely calm so I knew you were sleeping. It's not as strong as it is when you're wearing it but yeah I can still feel ... " He frowned allowing his words to die.

Nikki waited, watching Josh's face carefully as he lost himself in his thoughts. He frowned and shook his head. As he mused silently Ezekius slid his fingertips over the blankets and brushed them against her bare arm. He wanted to take her back to David's. He'd been ordered to return with her as soon as possible so she could begin her training.

Training?

Josh broke through their mute conversation. "I couldn't feel you when you ... When your eyes go black it's like- like you don't exist anymore. I just feel cold, really, really cold. When you attacked the demons, when you started talking in that strange voice, I couldn't feel you at all."

She inhaled and glanced at the demon next to her.

Get ready Ezekius. We may need to leave quickly but wait for my signal.

She subtly moved her arm and laced her fingers through the demons, gripping him tightly with nerves

"Josh. What I'm going to tell you is the truth, the absolute truth. It's going to be hard for you to hear but ... You'll find out sooner or later and I'd prefer it came from me." Her hand trembled in Ezekius' as she tried to quell her apprehension.

Josh stared with narrowed, cautious eyes, his gaze resting on her hand clutching at her demon. "What is it?"

Her heart kicked up a gear. "Remember back in the hotel, after I'd jumped? Sam told us what he'd heard about Unus? The stories said Unus had suffered a loss, that one of the Prophets had been killed in the battles. Josh do you remember?"

Josh wrestled his eyes from their hands up to her face and nodded slowly. "Yeah?"

"They weren't just stories. Unus is made up of Four Prophets of Latébris and each has a unique ability, separately they're the Kings of that world, they rule in equal proportions but together their collective consciousness becomes Unus, a very powerful, pretty much unstoppable, being; A God." She spoke clearly and slowly hoping that Josh would keep up with her, she wanted to explain to him before anyone else joined them, it would become more dangerous with extra bodies around.