Page 52 of Crossing Between

I floated in darkness, suspended in a void where time had no meaning.

Occasionally, snippets of reality would pierce through, voices murmuring with concern, the brush of cool cloths against my forehead, the sensation of being moved or adjusted on a soft surface.

But these moments were fleeting islands in an ocean of nothingness.

When consciousness finally returned, it crashed over me like a tidal wave. My eyelids fluttered open to find three anxious faces hovering inches above mine. Varon, Elias, and Kenji were so close I could feel their breath on my skin, their eyes wide with concern.

"She's awake!" Kenji punched the air.

Startled by their proximity, I jerked upright without thinking. The motion sent my forehead crashing into theirs with a painful thud that made stars explode behind my eyes.

"Fuck!" Varon hissed.

"Shit," Kenji groaned.

"Goddammit," Elias muttered.

I whimpered, clutching my throbbing forehead. "Ow, ow, ow..."

Elias recovered first, his hands already glowing with a soft blue light as he reached toward me.

His fingers brushed against my skin, cool and gentle, and the pain immediately receded.

The sensation of his healing magic felt different somehow, more pronounced, as if I could feel each individual strand of energy weaving through my cells.

"Better?" His hand lingered to brush a strand of hair back from my face. His touch sent a strange tingling sensation across my skin, like static electricity, but pleasant.

"Yeah," I blinked away the last remnants of disorientation.

I glanced around, recognizing the bedroom in Varon's mansion.

The heavy curtains were drawn, but slivers of sunlight peeked through the edges, casting long fingers of golden light across the plush carpet. "How long have I been out this time?"

"Three nights," came a familiar voice from the direction of the window.

I turned to see Quilith sitting in a high-backed chair, their hair cascading over their shoulders like a waterfall. They rose gracefully and approached the bed, perching on the edge where there was space.

"You came back from the trial three nights ago," they continued, their eyes studying me with an intensity that made me slightly uncomfortable. "We've been taking shifts watching over you. How are you feeling?"

I paused, taking stock of my body. At first glance, nothing seemed different, but as I focused inward, I became aware of an unusual sensation humming beneath my skin.

It was like my entire body was vibrating at a frequency too subtle to see but impossible to ignore once I noticed it.

The magic within me felt different. No longer dormant or elusive, but present and powerful, coiled like a spring waiting to be released.

I lifted my hands, half-expecting to see visible changes like glowing skin or sparks dancing between my fingers, but they looked normal.

The same chipped nail polish I'd applied days ago.

The same tiny scar on my thumb from when I'd cut myself cooking last month.

Yet beneath this mundane exterior, I could feel power thrumming through my veins.

"I feel buzzy," I struggled to articulate the sensation. "Like there's electricity running through me, but it doesn't hurt. It's just....there. Waiting."

The three men exchanged meaningful glances.

"What happened, Zoey?" Varon's voice uncharacteristically gentle. "You walked out of the fire and then collapsed. Quilith caught you before you hit the ground, but you've been unconscious ever since."

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "Shanna was there." The memory of her sad, knowing eyes made my chest tighten. "She said she was there to help me unlock my full potential."

"A trial guide," Quilith murmured. "Fascinating."

"She told me about the burden of the magic," I continued, "how unlocking it would change everything." I swallowed hard, remembering the gravity of Shanna's warnings. "She said that once my power was fully unleashed, it would be visible to all. That I wouldn't be able to hide what I am anymore."

Kenji's hand found mine, squeezing gently. "You don't have to hide with us, Zoey."

His words warmed me, but I knew I had to tell them everything. "There's more. She said that the magic is too much for a mortal body to contain for long. That unlocking my full power would significantly shorten my life."

The reaction was immediate and explosive. All three men stood up abruptly, their expressions morphing from concern to alarm.

"What the fuck?" Varon growled, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists.

"That can't be right," Elias shook his head vehemently. "There has to be a way to stabilize it."

Kenji paced beside the bed, his eyes flashing dangerously blue. "We need to research this. Maybe the archives at the supernatural precinct can help."

"Or perhaps a binding ritual," Varon cut in. "I've heard of methods to contain excess power."

"What about dampeners?" Elias suggested, already pulling out his phone. "I know a witch who specializes in it."

"STOP!" My voice rang out louder than I intended, cutting through their overlapping suggestions. "I wasn't finished!"

All three men froze, falling silent mid-sentence. Quilith let out a musical laugh, their eyes dancing with amusement.

"The Soulbinder has spoken. Perhaps you gentlemen should listen." Quilith raised a brow.

I cleared my throat, feeling a blush creep up my neck at my outburst. "As I was saying.

Shanna told me there is a way to manage the power without it killing me.

" I looked at each of them in turn, suddenly nervous about what I was about to say.

"If I complete my connection with all of you, and if you're willing, you can bind yourselves to me.

Your combined magic would help stabilize mine and prevent the overload from killing me. "

The room fell silent. I could practically see the wheels turning in their minds as they processed this information.

"What exactly does 'complete the connection' mean?" Varon asked carefully, his dark eyes intense.

"She said," I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. "She said it requires physical intimacy, emotional openness, and magical synchronicity." My cheeks burned hotter. "And she said that Kenji would know about the ritual."

All eyes turned to Kenji, whose expression had transformed to one of genuine shock. He stood frozen, mouth slightly agape, his blue eyes wide.

"Me?" he finally managed. "Why would I...?" His words cut off abruptly as realization dawned on his face. "Wait, she said I would know? She specifically mentioned me?"

I nodded. "She said your oni would know what to do."

Kenji's expression cycled rapidly through confusion, surprise, and finally understanding. He ran a hand through his dark hair, looking somewhat dazed.

"Holy shit," he breathed. "I think she was talking about the Red String Ritual. But that's just a legend, something the elders used to tell us about. I didn't think it was real."

"The Red String?" Elias prompted.

Kenji nodded slowly, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made my breath catch.

"An ancient oni ritual. It's said to bind souls together with unbreakable bonds, creating a conduit for power to flow between them.

" He shook his head in disbelief. "But it's just a story, a metaphor for soulmates isn't it? "