Out in the living room, Ginny waited for the answer to her question. Maya cleared her throat, looked to Pax for support, and began the story of how she had met a man who had fallen out of nowhere and had fallen in love with him the moment she saw him.

  Pax watched Ginny as her mother explained her heritage. He saw her eyes widen, her face flush, her glances at Koda and Ceya as she learned who they were. And finally, she looked at him.

  At that moment, Pax understood two things. Why it needed to be him that came to this world, and what the wink meant.

  FIFTY TWO

  As the car sped towards Doveland, Dradon forced himself to become calm and detached. He understood his rage would not provide him with answers. And he needed answers. Where were Maya and Ginny? Yes, he knew they must be in Doveland, but where exactly? How would he get them away from their rescuers? Who were these rescuers, anyway? Who was it who had come from Crann? How many of them?

  The less critical questions like what to do with Fred, Dradon would leave till later. He’d have the two men driving the car keep Fred imprisoned until he could decide what to do about him.

  By the time one man said, “Thirty minutes, sir,” Dradon was ready. He had a plan, and he was sure it would work because no one but his brother knew about the one power he had, and Dradon was positive that Akotas was not the one who came to rescue Ginny and Maya.

  Akotas was too much of a coward. Too busy taking care of their clan to worry about his wife and child. Dradon had proof. Akotas had left Maya and Ginny to fend for themselves in this world when Akotas knew perfectly well that Dradon would come after them, eventually.

  The time was now. And he had the element of surprise. Whoever they were, they would know he was coming, but they wouldn’t know what he could do.

  Only Akotas would.

  Once again, Dradon assured himself that Akotas was not in Doveland because he would have felt his presence if he were. Besides, he’s probably dead, Dradon told himself.

  He leaned back into the car seat built explicitly for his comfort, closed his eyes, and moved his thoughts out, searching for the people from Crann. As the miles passed, the signal became clearer. Four people from Crann. Dradon reasoned that Ginny was one of them since she had been born on Crann. And, of course, Maya would be with her, but Maya was no match for him. That meant there were only three travelers from Crann he needed to deal with. Easy.

  “Where to?” the driver asked.

  Dradon gave him directions and then smiled to himself. They would see him coming, of course, but that didn’t provide them with the advantage. The advantage belonged to him. He was unique. He was better than they were. He had always known this truth about himself. And soon the people in Doveland, and the ones from Crann, would learn the truth too.

  Dradon closed his eyes, dreaming of Crann and returning there as the powerful leader and ruler, which was his birthright. With all the people from Crann under his control, returning would be easy. He wouldn’t need Maya and Ginny anymore. The other three must know the secret to traveling between worlds, otherwise they wouldn’t have come.

  Soon he would have the secret too, and everything he ever wanted would be his. It was only a matter of time.

  "Did you bring the stones?" Evan asked.

  Grace reached into her purse and pulled out a small box that she had brought with her when she moved to Doveland. It used to hold jewelry. Now the box held the stones that Sarah, Leif, Tom, and Mira left in her safekeeping. She took them out one by one and laid them on the coffee table by the couch, where they looked like four ordinary rocks smoothed out by a stream. There were no markings on them that told anyone to whom they belonged or why they were unique.

  Johnny laid his stone on the table, as did Ava, Evan, and Craig. Maya reached into her pocket and took out hers. She reluctantly placed her stone on the table, being careful to keep it slightly separate in case it had nothing to do with the rest of them. This stone had been in her keeping all these years, and she had never looked at it after Akotas put it into the mirror frame. Now she realized it looked like any ordinary rock. Maybe it meant nothing at all.

  All nine stones sat on the table. Nothing happened.

  "Now what?" Ginny asked.

  "Now we wait," Koda answered.

  A long pause settled over the room.

  It was Ginny who broke the silence by asking, "Where's Pax?"

  FIFTY THREE

  Pax knew what he was about to do was crazy. But the minute he really looked at Ginny, he understood what he needed to do. Akotas and Isira had sent him to this world for a purpose. No, he didn't fit here, but then he barely fit into Crann. Learning he was a descendant of William Sky and that was the reason he looked and acted differently only softened the hurt of being different, and in some ways, it made it worse.

  William Sky was a hero. He was only a boy, maybe a man now, who loved to live at the top of the Tree Of Life by himself and with the owl who hooted at him each morning. When Akotas left, he missed him as if someone had removed an arm from his body. But he had adjusted and been at peace with his life.

  But Akotas’ memory would never let him alone. He could hear Akotas saying, "You have a purpose, Pax. Everyone has a purpose in this world. No one is the same as anyone else. That's how it's supposed to be. Each of us fits into the tapestry of life and makes it whole."

  "Not me," Pax would say, until he learned it was better to keep that thought to himself because it would upset Akotas. Sometimes it made Akotas angry. But what was much worse was when Pax could see that somehow saying that wounded Akotas, and he would become sad and withdrawn.

  Despite Pax's stubbornness, Akotas always came back and fulfilled his role as Pax's teacher. It was the coming back that taught Pax the most important lesson. He could fail, be hurt, and afraid, and still return to do what he needed to do.

  When he saw all nine stones lying on the table, doing nothing, he understood. He didn't add the stone Akotas gave him to the table because he realized the stones would not stop Dradon. He had to do it. His survival wasn't important. What was important was that peace remained in Crann and that Ginny and her mother could return with Koda and Ceya and be safe in the place he loved.

  Before leaving, he stole one last glance at Ginny sitting on the couch with Maya, already looking like the High Priestess she would be. Kind, gentle, and brave, Ginny would bring even deeper peace to his people, and Isira would be free to move on. Perhaps Akotas had waited for her, and they would rule another world in another lifetime together.

  With that thought, Pax left to find Dradon, praying he would be strong enough to stop him, determined he would no matter the cost. Akotas had taught him to be a warrior. But not with weapons made of steel or bone. He would use the weapon of truth told and defended.

  Outside of Doveland, a field of wildflowers bloomed. It had once been the farm that belonged to a man named Jay Kalen. His wife and daughter had died in a fire, and he had died not long after having drunk himself to death in his grief.

  Thirty years later, Jay had returned, a new man, born again into another body but with all the memories of the man he had been before.

  It was in that field that Jay had died again, and in the process, saved the town of Doveland from the man who had killed so many in the name of power.

  Pax had heard the field calling him while sitting in the woods outside Ava’s house that morning. It told him it was a good place to die, and Pax had agreed.

  So it was near that field when Pax revealed himself to Dradon in the back seat of his car. To Dradon’s credit, he did not flinch or yell but breathed in and out slowly and then smiled.

  “So you are the one,” Dradon said.

  In the front seat, the passenger turned around and said, “Sir?”

  Dradon glared at him. Turning back around, the driver looked at the passenger and rolled his eyes. The passenger shrugged. There was a slight chance the man in the back seat was going crazy, and they would be rid of him forever. Perhaps he was crazy. But crazy didn’t save them.

  “Don’t talk out loud,” Pax mind-spoke to Dradon.

  Dradon nodded. He’d never done it before, but perhaps it would work, so he thought the question.

  “You are the one, aren’t you?”

  “The one what?”

  “The one Akotas sent to stop me. And if you are, how do you plan to do it?”

  “Let’s talk about it,” Pax said. “Ask the driver to pull over.”

  “Here? It’s a field!”

  “Tell them you need a moment to yourself to think something over.”

  Dradon shrugged. This person was someone he would have to get rid of, anyway. He might as well do it before they got to Doveland. Besides, he was curious. The best thing that could happen is this boy-man could show him how to get to Crann and back, and that would solve all his problems. The worse, he’d have to spend a little energy to get rid of him.

  “Pull over.”

  “Sir?”

  “Pull over,” he shouted to the driver. “I need a moment to think by myself.”

  Pax had seen a bench at the side of the meadow, dedicated to the man Jay Kalen, so that’s where he walked to with Dradon. At the top of a small rise, it couldn't be seen from the car and the men waiting for Dradon. Sheltered under a tree and looking out over the waving fields, it was a peaceful place. Looking up, Pax could see the metal silver bird called an airplane, and he knew he would never ride in one.

  Dradon sat and waited.

  “You seem to be a brave young man.”

  “Perhaps,” Pax said. “Maybe even foolish, but I can’t let you go on into Doveland.”

  Dradon threw his head back and laughed.

  “How do you plan to stop me?”

  “I’ll make you a deal,” Pax replied. “You want the secret of traveling between worlds, and I know it. But you will have to fight me to get it.”

  Dradon laughed again and turned to look at the man on the bench beside him. A tiny voice spoke to him to be cautious, but he ignored it. How could this person fight him?

  “It’s a deal. I win, you tell me. You win, what happens?”

  “You stop,” Pax said.

  Dradon stood. Pax remained seated.

  Dradon smiled, turned on his secret power. The power that had brought him wealth beyond measure, that had moved peaceful men into men of war, and destroyed those that opposed him and waited.

  The man on the bench lifted his blue eyes to Dradon, smiled, and said, “That’s it?”

  It took every ounce of Pax’s strength not to reveal that he could feel his insides melting. That his head felt as if it would explode. That within moments, the person known as Pax would be nothing other than an empty shell, and Ginny, her mother, and all of Crann would fall to this man.

  Pax called to the trees, the meadow, to every creature of nature, and asked for help. He opened his heart to the wind, the sun, and the clouds floating above him and became one with them.

  Blades of grass tipped towards him. The yellow of the last daffodils flashed in and out as they moved with the wind. He felt the seat beneath him move in waves, no longer solid.

  His feet on the earth expanded, filling out through the meadow, sending shoots down, down, down into the earth, as the top of his head opened up, and a cloud filled the space where he used to be.

  With a whisper of his last breath, Pax smiled at Dradon and said, “You lose.”

  FIFTY FOUR

  Pax’s disappearance from Ava’s living room was not a surprise to Koda and Ceya. He had gone to do what he needed to do. It would have been better if he had asked them to come with him, but that he went alone didn’t surprise them.

  But for everyone else, it was a moment of terror. Then the ground shook. And stopped. Everyone stood expecting there to be more, but there wasn’t. Looking around the living room, they noticed nothing had moved or fallen. Even the stones had not moved on the table.

  “What was that?” Hank demanded, not really expecting an answer but feeling as if he had to do something.

  Koda and Ceya looked at each other. Was that something Pax did?

  “We don’t know,” they answered together.

  Evan walked outside to see if there was any damage and the group followed, milling around, looking for answers. And Pax.

  Moments before the ground shook, Bryan had reached for Rachel’s hand and whispered, “We need to go.” He motioned to Johnny to come with them, and they were standing by the car when it happened.

  Bryan turned to Johnny and asked, “Can you take us somewhere?”

  Johnny nodded.

  Turning to Rachel, Bryan said, “Johnny and I need to leave now. Meet us at the meadow near Jay’s bench.”

  “You want me to take you there now?” Johnny asked.

  Bryan nodded. Johnny touched Bryan’s shoulder, and they both vanished, leaving Rachel standing by the car by herself.

  Rachel’s breath hitched as they disappeared, and she muttered to herself, “That’s okay, Rach. People come and go in thin air all the time.”

  Johnny brought them both to Jay's bench, his hand still on Bryan's shoulder. They sat, grateful that it was there.

  "Thanks," Bryan said, waiting for his head to stop spinning. "This couldn't wait."

  Johnny blinked, afraid to nod in case it made his head fall off. It was a strange feeling, but he knew it would pass. Learning that he could bring someone with him as he transported himself didn't actually please him. Doing it at all wasn't as wonderful as people who hadn't done it thought it would be.

  There were moments of being nowhere and hoping he'd end up where he meant to go. But what if he didn't? What if he got lost? That was something he tried not to think about, and now that they were where Bryan wanted to go, he could let the fear go for the moment. But he knew he would revisit the whole transport-into- nothingness-and-back-again once this adventure was over.

  He was happy that Rachel was on her way so that they could get back to the house in a more conventional and definitely less terrifying way.

  Looking around, he saw nothing but the meadow, and he didn’t understand why they were there when Bryan grabbed his arm and pulled him up.

  "I need you to see this too," Bryan said.

  Johnny knew that meant he had to keep touching Bryan to see why they there were there, so he put his hand on his arm and waited.

  Seconds later, he flinched and moved back. Bryan put his hand on Johnny's, keeping them connected, and stepped forward.

  Johnny took a deep breath and looked at the man staring at them with hatred in his eyes and a rage so fierce it radiated off of him in waves. Part of him felt like hating him, and the other part was willing to do whatever this man would ask of him. It was a terrifying feeling. Only the awareness that the man was in the in-between kept him from bowing down in fear.

  "I'm not going," Dradon yelled, stepping closer to the two of them. Johnny could feel Bryan shaking, even though he stood his ground.

  "You are already gone," Bryan responded. "Now you have a choice."

  Dradon stomped, raised his fists, and moved even closer.

  Johnny did his best not to flinch.

  "Fix this, or I'll haunt you forever. You, your family, your friends."

  Bryan smiled, and although he looked calm, Johnny could feel Bryan's hand tremble, and he understood why Bryan needed him there.

  "That is an empty threat, Dradon. You have no power in this place."

  Johnny wondered if that was true, but he kept his eyes on the man, doing his best not to let his fear show.

  "Let me show you where you are now," Bryan said, walking forward into the meadow, Johnny holding onto his arm, trying not to stumble.

  Reluctantly, Dradon followed.

  "Look down there," Bryan said, leaning forward slightly so that Johnny could see, too.

  A crack ran through the meadow. One he had never seen before. Just wide enough to slip through. At the bottom, he glimpsed the man who stood before them. Still. Unmoving. Dead.

  "No!" Dradon shouted. "I'm not going!"

  Bryan repeated once again, "You are already gone."

  As they watched, the ground trembled, and the crack in the meadow closed, sealing in the man at the bottom.

  "No!" Dradon wailed. "Bring me back!"

  Bryan waited until Dradon turned to face him.

  "You know no one can bring you back. Here are your choices. Stay in this in-between, powerless, or move on. I'm here to help you move on. But if you don't do it now, I won't help, and you will be stuck like this forever or end up where you don't want to go."

  Turning his back on Dradon, Bryan walked back to Jay's bench and sat down, with Johnny by his side.

  "Now what?" Johnny whispered.

  "We wait," Bryan said. "This should be interesting."

  A few moments later, Johnny saw what Bryan meant.

  Dradon, standing alone in the field, raised his fists and swore at the sky. Moments later, a black cloud emerged from the cloudless sky. It settled above Dradon, blocking the sun. A dark whirl of wind filled with sticks and leaves rose from the ground surrounding Dradon, expanding until it reached the cloud. It was over in seconds. The cloud disappeared, the leaves and sticks dropped to the ground, and Dradon had vanished.

  "What happened?" Johnny whispered.

  "He chose," Bryan said.

  FIFTY FIVE

  Rachel saw the two men on the bench, and her breath caught in her throat. They were so still. Were they okay? Then Bryan turned and smiled at her, and her heart soared as it did every time he looked at her.

  Reaching the bench, she sat down beside Bryan and held his hand. The meadow was glowing. Wildflowers and grasses moving with the wind, reflecting the sun back to itself.

  The three of them sat for a long minute together, listening to the bird songs.