The Kentites called Shai's cross-over from death the awakening. The only wound she carried back to Kent from Gershom was an invisible one. At night the pain threatened to suffocate her and during the day it enveloped her in an ever-present darkness. Deeper than any pain she'd ever known, she wore it close to her heart: the love of two brothers who died protecting her and the shame of her own unworthiness.
Sector Seven felt like a hole, dark and empty without Aliah or Remiel. When Shai had finally recovered enough to be led out to the Core, she was swarmed by concerned citizens asking her about the awakening. She was the only one to have crossed over to Gershom and come back alive since the War.
But she couldn't say much. Couldn't talk about what it was like. She wanted to keep it to herself, just for a little while, until the blinding pain of her loss had diminished. If it ever did.
The effects of the pendant had completely faded by the third day of her awakening. The memories she saw on the wall in Gershom stayed with her, but they remained distant like they belonged to someone else.
She stood against the railing and watched the waterwheel turn the swirling, white water below. She was glad the water didn't remain calm long enough for her to catch her reflection. It was enough that she saw her long, drawn face and sad mouth reflected in the eyes of the people that cared about her.
Mara asked her daily how she was doing. The older woman had become like a mother to her, almost as close as Eliana was. She had stayed with Shai during her struggle with Death, mopping her brow and forcing drops of water between her swollen lips.
The twenty-one children from Lael had settled in with their adoptive families and Shai enjoyed hearing their laughter echoing in the corridors. The grey had disappeared from the Laelites and their original heritage started to become clear in the colors of their eyes: blue, brown, hazel, and various shades of green.
The children born to Kentite parents in the Camps had been branded with the single flame. Some sported it on their chests, others the backs of their hands or even their foreheads, taking pride in their identities after being lost for so long.
"Shai?" A familiar voice behind her made her turn. She smiled at Mara and bit her lip like she always did when the gentle woman turned her soft green eyes on Shai. It was in them that she saw Aliah. She hadn't been able to bring herself to see Elchai yet, whose blue eyes and steady smile reminded her most of Remiel.
Mara carried a bundle wrapped in a fuzzy, blue blanket and the tiny noises coming from it gave Shai a stab of joy.
"Do you want to see him?" Mara held the infant out to Shai who took him gently, hesitating slightly to look into his little face. His tiny fist was shoved into his mouth and he made slurping noises as he tried to suck on it. He looked up at Shai with his blue eyes and she kissed his forehead.
Mara watched, smiling. "His name is Jachin." Mara said softly, tears shining in her eyes. "Ellersly named him. He's Sileas's baby brother."
Shai looked down at the baby and her tears fell on his cheek. She held him close to her.
"He's a Kentite then?"
Mara nodded then touched Shai's arm. "Today's his branding day. Do you want to take him to Elchai for it?"
Shai's heart squeezed. She shook her head. "I'm... I'm not ready." She handed Jachin back to Mara. "I can't stay here, Mara. Everywhere I turn I see... your boys. I need to find Eliana. I know she's alive out there, somewhere. And I need to go to the Camps and back to Lael. Now that I know about the pendants I want to rip them off people if I have to."
Mara smiled. "It won't work like that. They need to choose just like you did. All you can do is tell them. Let them know what happened in Gershom, what you saw there. If they choose to believe you then they will gladly remove the pendants, but it's still up to them to decide. You can't force them."
Shai twisted the hem of her long blue shirt. "You're right. I'm going to go pack."
"Right now? You've only been on your feet for three days. Rest a few more days before you make that journey. The pendants won't have the same power as they used to, especially now that the Book isn't in Lael. There is no more record of infractions. You have time. Say good-bye to Ellersly. He'll never forgive you if you leave without seeing him."
"When is he back?"
Mara looked down at the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms. When she looked up at Shai again her face was open, eyes clear. She'd been able to grieve her sons' deaths without falling apart every other minute. Something Shai hadn't mastered.
"He left the day of your awakening. He said if he hasn't found Aliah's body by the fourth day then he'd return. He could be gone a few more days yet."
"And Kael?"
Mara shrugged. "No one's seen him."
"Mara! Shai!" Raucous shouting followed by the sound of running, echoed through the cavernous Core. The two women turned to see a red-faced Ellersly running towards them waving something in the air.
"Ell!" Shai ran to him and held him in a tight embrace. He laughed and patted her back.
When Mara joined them she leaned in and asked the question Shai wanted to ask but couldn't.
"Did you find him?"
Ellersly blew a breath out and wiped his damp face on his sleeve.
He nodded. "Yeah. We buried him out there, Mara. There... there wasn't any way we could bring him back."
Shai's throat tightened and she coughed.
Ellersly caught her eye. "I found this. Perfectly intact." He waved a folded piece of paper at her and Shai took it in trembling hands. It was well-creased and stained, but the page of the Book looked unscathed. Shai began to unfold the page just as someone approached them.
Ellersly turned around. Shai and Mara stared at the tall stranger striding purposefully towards the group. His long, black cloak flapped open behind him.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Ellersly's chin wobbled, his face scarlet with embarrassment. "This guy showed up when we found Aliah... and... he helped us bury him. We couldn't have done it without him. He came from the Outerlands and wanted to come rest here before moving on to Sector Six then..."
"Five and Four...I'm a Sector Protector." The young man spoke as he came near. His deep-set, blue eyes looked at each face in turn. His features were plain but pleasant, his light brown hair hung over one eye and he ran his fingers through it, pushing it back. The gesture unnerved Shai and she stepped back. He looked directly at her. "My last stop is Lael."
The page rattled in Shai's shaking hands and she quickly refolded it. Mara turned a large smile on the man.
"I'm Mara. You've already met Ellersly, this is baby Jachin here and this is..."
"LiShai." He grinned and two dimples appeared in his cheeks.
"How did...? The words stuck in her throat. She'd told no one about seeing her life projected on the wall in Gershom. Or about her Old World name.
"We've met before." He extended his hand and Shai shook it. Firm. Warm. He squeezed her fingers gently and heat flashed through her chest. "Call me... Remii." His eyes danced. "I have something for you." He held out a gold chain.
The hair on her arms stood on end. "Where did you get that?"
He shrugged and smiled broadly. "My father always said that love is the only thing stronger than death."
Shai sucked in a breath. She couldn't explain why he looked so different or why he reminded her of his brother, but here he was. Like he had been re-born.
The Son of Thunder.
Alive.