"But not," she finished.
Shimani nodded. "You will be in a circle of light. Whatever happens, Kaily, do NOT step outside the circle. Deykin has unpleasant surprises for unwanted guests, and his surprises do not distinguish between friend and foe."
"I understand," she said, "How will my presence be received?"
He shrugged. "It's hard to say. There have not been any female Druids in a very long time."
"How long?"
"You don't want to know."
"How long?"
"Over 3,000 years." He said.
"I see." She looked back up at the sky.
"I'm not going to tell you that this is not without risk. I don't know how Deykin will react to you, and you won't have allies among the Druids when you arrive, except one, Ethan. When you arrive, you will enter the throne room where you will trigger," he paused, "an alarm of sorts. That will bring the Druid Council to the throne room. Your ally is on the Council. He can be trusted." He turned her so that she faced him. "Do exactly what Ethan tells you, Kaily. Your life may depend on it. Celtan can be a dangerous place."
"How do you know this Ethan can be trusted?" She asked when her eyes met his. She didn't like her life being dependent on anyone, let alone someone she didn't know and certainly not someone that belonged to a group of people she wanted nothing to do with. She didn't like that even Shimani thought she might be in danger on Celtan. She wanted nothing more than to remain on Ki with Moto. How could she? Once he learned what she was, she didn't finish the thought. She knew he wouldn't accept her, and she couldn't keep the thoughts of her conversation with Shimani from Moto for long. He would find out and then he would not want anything to do with her.
"I just do. In reality, we have little choice. This environment here is not helping you with your abilities, and I don't know if Moto's connection to you is helping or hurting you." He shook his head. "I don't know what else to try. Your powers are growing, and you still have no control." He shook his head again. "Once Ethan helps get you past Deykin and the Council, he will start training you on how to use of your abilities."
She regarded him in silence for a long while. She could sense there was a sense of helplessness, and a little bit of hopelessness mixed in within Shimani. He honestly didn't know what to do with her. She could sense just how much of a danger he thought she was to herself and those around her. "Why do you think this Ethan can help me with my powers when Moto could not?" She didn't bother to hide the bite in her tone. How dare they turn her life upside down and expect her to just go along with it! She pushed aside the shimmer of guilt that she felt for turning her anger on Shimani. He was trying to help, and yet, she felt he was at fault in part for the situation. If they didn't meddle in her life, she would still be safe and sound on Earth. She wouldn't know what it felt like to be Moto's bonded mate. She wouldn't feel the hurt she felt.
He turned his face to the sky and his eyes locked on the exact spot that Kaily's gaze locked onto earlier. After a long silence, he turned back to her. "Training you as a Druid instead of as a Kahoali might make a difference in your ability to understand enough to learn what you need to know to control your abilities."
"And if it doesn't?"
He shook his head. "It has to."
She closed her eyes. She caught the echo of his thoughts he didn't want to share. Her life did depend on her learning control. There was fear in Shimani he tried to keep from her. Had it really been 3,000 years since the last female Druid existed, in truth? Why so long? What was Shimani not telling her? It seemed important, but she sensed that he was not willing to share. It felt as if he or they were floundering where she was concerned, and that did not inspire confidence. "You should have left me where I was." She turned away and wiped the tears that refused to stop falling.
He turned her towards him and pulled her into the warmth of his embrace. "Believe me, today, I wish we had."
She looked up at Shimani. The look on his face turned her heart over where nothing else had. She gave him a sad smile. "I can't go back, can I? I can't just return to my life and pretend none of this happened, can I?"
Shimani shook his head. "No. I wish it could be otherwise, Kaily. I really do." He wiped the tears falling from her eyes. "I will find a way for Moto to accept you."
She shook her head and laid a hand on his chest. "I appreciate you want to, Shimani, but I don't want Moto to want me or honor our bond out of some sense of duty or obligation. I know you could convince him to, and he would. He is so honorable he would face his greatest," she glanced down, "enemy," she softly said. She drew in courage and again her eyes met Shimani's. "I don't want that. I want him to want me, me for who I am despite what I am. Do you understand?"
"I do," he hugged her tight against him. "My apologies, Kaily. I wish I could change it, all of it."
She pulled out of his embrace. "I accept your apology, Shimani. What's done is done. Promise me when I leave you and Sari will give Moto the time he needs to heal before dragging him back to the Kahoali way of life."
"I will, but I can't promise that Sari will give him that time."
"Try to convince her otherwise, please."
