Guardians of the Boundary (Book 3 of The Conjurors Series)

Chapter 26

Love would be her constant.

The answer seemed so obvious, so right, that Valerie knew her mind would never be vulnerable to a mental attack from Kellen, Ani, Oleander, or anyone else ever again. She wondered why Gideon hadn't just told her that she was looking at the problem the wrong way, but it really wasn't his way. He expected her to figure things out on her own, and maybe he was right. The answer was more powerful because of how hard she'd searched for it.

Taking advantage of her temporary freedom, Valerie scooped up the crystal that connected her with Thai. It lay on the ground next to the anchor crystal and scrying map that Sanguina had used before she returned to Earth.

When she put the chain holding Thai's crystal around her neck and it settled against her breastbone, it was as if a piece of herself that had been missing had returned. She never should have taken it off. Even though she and Thai would never be together, she still loved him.

She let the crystal draw her to Earth, and found herself next to Thai in a cheap hotel room in Japan. His entire body drooped, and he held his head in his hands. He wouldn't meet her eyes when she stopped in front of him.

"This isn't your fault," Valerie said, guessing at his emotions.

"I know. It's the Fractus. But that doesn't change the fact that a good man died today. One who gave me a place to stay when I needed it and helped take care of Tan and me when we separated. I wish I could have protected him when it was his turn to be in danger," Thai said.

"Thank you for trying to save him," she said, sitting next to him on the bed. All of her old rage toward Thai had faded away, leaving only a dull ache at the loss of him in her heart.

"We wanted to ask Henry where to take Joe's body to be buried," Thai said, and a tear slipped out. He didn't bother to wipe it away.

"I'll ask him, but next to his wife, I think," she said.

"You're right. He visited her grave every day. I'll take him to her myself," Thai promised. His eyes finally met hers. "And after I do, I'm coming to the Globe."

Even though Cyrus had told her this was the case, she couldn't stop her heart from pounding when she heard the words from his lips. Thai was watching her closely, and she tried to mask her relief.

"What made you change your mind?" she asked.

"I'd rather tell you in person. It's a long story," he said.

"There's something you have to know before you get here," Valerie added, wishing she didn't have to burden him with more baggage. "Tan is working with the Fractus."

Thai released a ragged breath. "I know. Even if someone hadn't told me, the fact that he left without talking to me and never visited was a big tipoff that something was really wrong. Whatever Venu did that day on the falls must have been awful."

"I hope that he'll find his way back to us. We know he can't be all bad," Valerie said. She wondered who had told Thai about Tan, but she decided not to press him with questions now, when he was grieving for Joe.

"I'll have to help Chisisi and Chrome find the Byway before I go back to America to bury Joe," Thai said. "Do you think Henry will understand?"

The reminder of her brother made Valerie shudder at the grief that was still pouring from his mind. It reached her even when she was projecting to Earth, and she knew that she was only sensing a fraction of what he was experiencing.

"I think it will be a while before Henry's thinking straight," Valerie said. "I wish you didn't have to deal with the Byway now, on top of everything else."