“When we first arrived here,” Damien responded, “we had no idea how or why we were here. We sought out Alexander because we assumed he could put us in contact with you to go home but… he didn’t know us or you.”
“And if you send us home now,” Michael added, “we’ll return to a world unrecognizable to us.”
“Right,” Damien agreed. “So, we must fix things.”
“In other words, you must fix things, as you put it, so you are more comfortable in your world?”
“No!” Damien argued. “We must fix things because this is wrong! What’s happening is wrong! You weren’t meant to be on the bad side, Celine!”
Celine considered their comments for a moment. “You’ve given me much to consider,” she said at length. She stood from the table.
“Oh, come on, Celine!” Damien exclaimed, also standing. “You can’t say that and leave!”
Celine’s eyes grew wide. “What would you have me do? What is it you expect of me?”
“I expect you to be the Celine we know,” Damien said, approaching her. “I know you’re in there. The good Celine, the honest Celine, the Celine who would fight for her friends and her family. I expect you to help us correct what’s gone wrong with history, so when we go home, the world is normal again.”
“Yet you only share part of your information,” Celine responded.
“That’s not true!” Michael shouted, leaping from his chair.
“Isn’t it? We’re all good friends in your time. You leave out details. How did we meet? To whom am I married? These events may not be possible to correct! My life has already hurled me toward the precipice. Decisions aren’t easily reversed. Choices may not be able to be undone! Options may not exist to correct the wrongs as you see them. I fail to understand what you propose I do. You have given me no direction toward which you seek me to go. Therefore, I must consider what you’ve said and guide my own path.”
“No, Celine,” Damien responded, his voice gentle, taking her hands in his. “Not alone. Together. We’re your friends. We care about you, we love you. We want to help.”
Michael joined them around the table. “Yes,” he said, putting an arm around her shoulders. “We aren’t keeping things from you, but we don’t know how much to say. We don’t know how much we can tell you without impacting the future in some irreparable way. And we don’t know your sentiments on the situation. Tell us what you’re thinking, what you’re feeling. Help us help you.”
Celine glanced between the two of them. Damien recognized a glimmer of the Celine he knew in her eyes as she searched their faces. He felt her hands tremble, saw the tears welling in her eyes. She collapsed into the chair. “I have never felt so alone,” Celine choked out, a tear streaming down her cheek. Gray rushed to offer her a handkerchief. She accepted it, apologizing. “Forgive me for my outburst.”
“There is no apology needed, Celine,” Gray assured her.
Damien pulled a chair next to her, sitting down and putting his arm around her. “You’re not alone, Celine. We’re all here to help you. We don’t want you to live this life. We want you to be happy. I want to see you smile again!”
“Am I happy in your world?” she asked, sniffling.
“Very,” Damien answered.
Celine pondered a moment. “What must I do?” she inquired.
Damien took her hands in his. “I think you realize what you must do, Celine.”
Chapter 22
Present day, Bucksville
Celine readied herself for her trip, pulling on a heavy cardigan. She planned to check on Damien and Michael before she departed. Gray knocked at the door, entering. She smiled at him, not speaking.
Gray leaned his side against the far wall, his arms crossed. “I hate this, you know,” he stated.
She glanced at him again, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “I know and I’m sorry,” Celine answered. “It’s not my idea of a good plan either, but it’s all we have.”
“It’s not your fault. As usual, it’s his. At least this time he’ll have to clean up his mess.”
“It’s both of ours, Gray. And neither. Neither of us realized this would happen. Neither of us set out to harm Michael or Damien in this way.”
“Ha!” Gray guffawed. “That man sets out to harm anything he comes into contact with. He destroys anything in his general vicinity.” Celine didn’t respond, instead, digging through her jewelry box. “I’m sorry, Celine. I realize you have enough strain on you. I don’t mean to make things worse.”
“You aren’t making anything worse, Gray. But there is nothing to say. I don’t disagree with you, but I will not let Damien die. Not if there’s a chance I can save him.”
“Do you really think you can trust him?”
“No, I don’t trust him, but I do trust that he has the knowledge to help us.”
“What assurance do you have that he’ll help?”
“None, but I convinced him to help Celeste.”
“He assumed you would marry him then.”
Celine’s shoulders sagged. “I must try, Gray. Damien is dying! I cannot live with myself if I let him die without trying everything to help.”
“Yes, I understand. I hate it, but I understand. You’ve always been the braver one of us. For God’s sake, though, Celine, be careful.”
“I will,” Celine agreed. She pulled an item from her jewelry box, wrapped in a velvet bag.
“What’s that?” Gray inquired, approaching her.
“An ice crystal. Mined from the ice caves in Shadow World,” Celine informed him, removing the round, flat, colorless stone from the velvet bag. The stone emanated a frosty air around it. Gray crinkled his brow as he stared at it. “It’s a peace offering for the adjudicator. This is the second time I’ll interrupt its repose in Shadow World. I’d rather not be on its bad side.”
“Smart. Where did you get a hold of that?”
“From Marcus. Odd that
