Deliverance [malexmale]

Chapter Seventeen

I looked at the Orb, noticed the glint of gold in it and realized my jewelry was reflecting back at me. I hadn't even noticed I'd put it on this morning. I'd done it without thinking. I glanced at Atlan, but he didn't say anything about it, just smiled at me, encouraging me to try connecting to the Source through the Orb.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Atlan's hands took mine, making my eyes snap open to stare at him in alarm for a moment, before I realized he was just putting my hands on the Orb. It was cold under my fingers, and felt strangely fragile. I closed my eyes again and regulated my breathing.

Inhale... exhale...

A strange tingle went up my arms, and it felt almost like the Orb was breathing with me under my fingertips. It was an eerie feeling that made me want to yank my hands away, but I felt immobile. Like I was rooted in place by something heavy wrapping around me, but it wasn't an uncomfortable heavy. More like being enveloped in blankets. I listened to the sound of the water rippling in the pool, the sound of my breath leaving my lungs in a slow, steady exhale. The noises began to blend and merge into one sound, a buzzing static, a white noise, in my ears. The sound that followed when everything was absolutely silent.

For a moment, I didn't think it was working. I almost felt silly standing there with my hands on this weird breathing ball while everything around me was so silent that my ears were ringing. Even so, there was a strange peace settling into me. My body felt loose and relaxed, and the buzzing in my ears suddenly began to sound more... like it was speaking to me. It was a language I'd never heard before, but somehow, I managed to understand it. I understood the soothing hum of its lyrical words, almost like it was singing.

And a fog clouded my head. My initial reaction was to panic, but the voice, the voice that was neither male nor female, loud nor soft, maybe almost mechanical, told me it was alright. My muscles relaxed further and I felt like I was sinking into the soft fluffy fog around me until I found myself standing in a strange clearing in the fog.

Suddenly, Akin appeared out of nowhere and I sucked in a sharp breath, surprised at his presence. He was standing not far from me, appearing occupied with his strange phone device on his wrist. His long white blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail with fuzzy blue hair tie, matching his white sweater, blue scarf, and jeans. It was pretty sedate for him, considering his obsession with Goth culture.

He looked up and I froze, waiting for him to say something to me, but instead, he said something else.

"Hannibaby, can you grab Menti's shoes from the closet? I forgot to grab them. We're supposed to meet Arikos at the palace in like ten minutes and I'm really freaking out here," Akin called. I blinked, confused, then turned to see the fog clear to reveal the penthouse living room. Hannibal was just about to come down the stairs, wearing a black spandex turtleneck and black jeans, but he turned back around and headed for the bedroom upstairs. I turned back to Akin, who turned to Amenti, who appeared at his side, looking down at the floor sadly.

"Oh, baby," Akin said with a smile, crouching down in front of her, "It's okay. You'll love my daddy's place. It's big and he has lots of games for you to play. I hear my brother, Jaques, is bringing over his kids. He's got a daughter your age. I'm sure you'll have fun." Amenti looked up at him, and the sorrow in her green eyes stung.

"I don't wanna. I wanna play with Menny. I wanna sleep in his room, nowheres else," she said, and gave her best pout that made Akin smile at her. He brushed the curls back from her face, then reached back and pulled his hair out of his ponytail so he could use the hair tie on her hair. He gently pulled her hair back into a cute little ponytail of riotous curls.

"I know, sweetheart, and you will, but we have to be careful. Menny would be really sad if something happened to you. We have to keep you safe."

"Why me? Why is nobody keeping Menny safe? What if the bad people are hurting him?" Big tears pooled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. Akin's eyes shimmered, but he blinked the tears back quickly and wrapped his arms around her to cradle her close. Squeezing his eyes shut, he pressed his cheek to hers.