“Me, too,” he said. “It is rather appropriate; they came out with a new law last year that each newlywed couple has to plant ten trees and each divorced couple has to plant 50 trees.”
“How many seedlings are in there?”
“I’m guessing about 1,000.”
“Enough to get married 100 times over! Or divorced…” I tried doing the math in my head.
Micah interrupted my calculations by placing a canister in my hand and digging in the box for the proper map. “It doesn’t matter. There is patch of land on Java that was severely damaged by a recent earthquake. Although the land is protected by the government, they gave permission for logging companies to come in and clear the area of debris. Now it’s just barren land, but rich in volcanic soil. It should be easy for the seedlings to take hold. Barring any more earthquakes, the forest will remain protected.”
I studied the map. “I’m not sure how I’ll know I’ve hit the right spot from here.”
Micah thought for a moment. “Well, Java was formed mostly from volcanic activity. There is a line of volcanoes running from east to west on the island.”
“So?”
“So…I thought that the soil might have a similar feel to you as the soil on Galapagos.”
I gave him a warning look. Searching for something similar to the energy depleting islands of Galapagos was not my idea of how best to spend our night together. “Maybe we should think this through better. Do you think this place has the same, you know, properties as Galapagos?”
“I don’t think so. Not all volcanic-based places do. In fact, we know of a few that are similar to the Chakra; places that feed you energy willingly. Cato has been trying to pinpoint all of those special places around the world when he has time. He hasn’t found many yet, but Asia hasn’t been studied at all.” He looked at me a few moments, his forehead slowly mirroring the creases of concern mine had. “Listen, why don’t you try with just one? Stay connected to the plant and you’ll know soon enough if it will thrive or die there.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I guess one couldn’t hurt, to start off. Let me just protect it first.” I recalled a spell my mother had taught me as a child when I refused to leave my teddy bear home from school. As I grew older, I always thought the spells were her silly way of getting me to do things. Come to find out there was much more to them than that. I lay the canister next to the blanket in the soil, and drew the outline of a circle within a star with my finger.
“With this pentagram, protection I lay. Guard this object both night and day. For him who should try and harm, may his body shiver and quake and warn me through charm. I now invoke the power in me. This is my will, so let it be!”
I looked at Micah. “Okay, here goes nothing.” I drew in some energy and called out to the wind around me. It picked up just enough to lift the canister out of my hands and up into the air. I sent it in the direction Micah pointed and kept my mind receptive to soil similar to the Galapagos. The energy and the work was all mine, but Micah’s presence was more help than even he could imagine. He exuded a sense of calmness and confidence; two things I seemed to lack. With him there, I felt like a complete person, capable of doing anything.
Twenty minutes after the canister left, Micah grew impatient. “Are you there yet?”
“No, I’ve hit a trouble spot. Something keeps drawing the seedling toward it, away from my path. I can’t get past it.”
“That’s probably it!” he said excitedly. “If the area is full of good energy, it will attract more good energy to it – even if it resides in other elements. Just follow the pull.”
I did as he directed, skeptical of his reasoning. I would more likely believe that opposites attract. Within minutes I felt soil rushing up to meet my plant. I slowed the descent and concentrated on keeping the canister steady, pointy side down. Before I allowed it to bury itself in the soil, I cautiously sent out feelers for what type of land lay there. As soon as I hit the barren soil, my weaves vibrated with warmth and strength. They infused themselves with the energy of the land without me doing a thing.
“Whoa!”
“What?” Micah frowned. “What?”
I smiled in triumph. “This is a good place –a very good place. Better than the Chakra, even.” Without waiting for his response, I buried the canister deep in the soil, leaving the top only a few inches from the surface. I pulled my weaves away from the soil but kept my connection to the plant. I felt life throb through it joyfully; it had been anxious to spread its roots somewhere.
“Will the roots be able to break through the canister?” I asked.
“It is biodegradable and will disintegrate into the soil in a matter of days. Once Susan is feeling better, she can direct rain that way which will also help.”
“Okay, it is done.” I leaned in for a kiss in excitement. What was meant to be a congratulatory peck turned into a long, romantic few minutes involving tongues and many other tender exchanges.
Once his hands began to work their way up the lengths of my nightgown, I pulled away. “I’m sorry, I’m not fully healed yet. I need time.”
“Of course, I knew that. I just got a little too enthused.” Micah took a couple of deep breaths and fiddled with my hair while he worked to cool himself down. We were both laying on the blanket now, my head resting in the crook of his arm. The moon was now hidden by clouds so the stars that did shine through seemed extra bright. His free hand put my hair gently aside and traveled down my torso until it rested on top of my belly.
“Is she kicking much?”
“Yes, usually around here.” I moved his hand to the lower part of my abdomen, the underside of the large round hump. “She’s been very active tonight. She does that when I am absorbing energy; or when I’m eating.”
He laughed. “A food fiend, just like her mother.” Before I could retort Micah let out a gasp. “I felt it. I mean her, I felt her!”
“You did? I didn’t think she was that strong yet…”
He sat back, keeping his hold on my belly, a satisfied smile on his face. “Kaitlyn?”
“Yes?”
“In your spell, what did you mean ‘warn me through charm’?”
“Oh. My mom gave me several necklaces as a child that always held what she called magical charms. The charms would supposedly warn me somehow if one of my spells were being tested. I guess by heating up or vibrating or something. When I was a little older she told me I would know even without a charm if I kept my mind open to it.”
“What about the necklace I gave you?”
I felt a wave of regret run through me. “The last time I had it was at the pier with Susan. Either the waves knocked it off or Shawn has it.”
Micah shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not like I can’t make you another one. In fact, you’ve done all the hard work, splintering the boulder into pieces and all. I could make you a whole set of jewelry, complete with earrings, necklace, and bracelets.”
“And if the Seven goes belly up, we could open a rock jewelry business together. I’ll collect the merchandise – you do the beading.”
We talked about everything and nothing for the next hour before remembering to send out the rest of the seedlings. It was easier the second time, now that I knew where to go. The first rays of dawn were just beginning to streak the sky by the time we finished.
“How are you feeling? Do you want to go back to bed?” Micah asked as we made our way slowly back to the building.
“No. Being connected to that place…I have more energy now than when we started.” I could still feel it coursing through my body, mixing with my blood and muscles. Good to know that a boost like that was only a short distance away.
“Are you sure?” Micah persisted. “It’s going to be a busy day.”
“Why?” I looked at him. “What’s happening?”
“Cato will order an inspection of the entire building and grounds later. He’ll also have us inspect each employee for physical signs of Shawn – like you have.”
I made a face. “I can’t imagine that will go over too well with some people.”
“It won’t. But those who refuse will be escorted off the island immediately.” He paused then added, “You and Susan will need to inspect the women on your own. Are you okay with that?”
“Sure.” As far as I could recall, there were only three or four women on the compound.
“Great.” Micah held open the door to the kitchen.
We took our time with breakfast, cooking up a feast big enough for ten. I never had been a good cook; in the time he whipped up scrambled eggs, banana pancakes, sausage and bacon, I had managed to butter toast and cut up a few pieces of fruit. In my defense, I had to take a hiatus to nurse the shallow cut on my finger from an unfortunate combination of clumsy hands and a very sharp knife.
Although it was only six, the smells began to lure people into the kitchen. Cato and Alex had come in. Just as my mind wandered to Susan, debating if she was angry with me for the lightning incident, she also appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. Her eyes hungrily scanned the food on the counter then rested on me. Without giving her a chance to speak first, I ran over and threw my arms around her.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my face muzzled into her shoulder.
She spoke back in a voice just as low. “Don’t be. I would have been suspicious if your reaction was anything less. I would have done the same.” She paused. “Well, not exactly the same - I would’ve opted for a hurricane.”
I pulled back, prodding her - looking for signs of weakness. “I haven’t seen you since, how are you feeling?”
She giggled, pushing my hands away. “I’m fine. I’ve been camping out by the pond. The water does wonders for me. Just like the soil does for you.”
“Oh.” I paused, processing the information. It suddenly hit me. I dropped my voice again, all too aware of the group behind us. “Oh….did you…?”
“I saw you guys sending out our gift. It was very touching.” She lowered her voice even more, “I may not have completely understood your relationship with my brother, but the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice last night… It’s obvious you’re his everything.”
“Oh.” That was the only word that kept coming to mind. It was annoying. I took a deep breath and tried again, steering her toward the food. “Have some of the breakfast I made.”
“You made?” Her arched eyebrow mirrored Micah’s across the kitchen, who echoed the same thing at exactly the same time.
“Well,” I said defensively, “I helped anyway.” I hid my bandaged finger and gave Micah warning glance to keep his mouth shut or else.
He took the hint.
As Susan piled pancakes on her plate, Cato broke the silence, “So you planted the seedlings last night? Where?”
I hid a grimace. I always forgot his ears were younger than their years.
“Indonesia.” Micah puffed out his chest. “Turns out the location there is just as powerful as here, maybe even more so.”
“Hmmm. Good, I thought that might have been the case. Some of the seedlings have a GPS installed. I’ll send someone out in a few months to check on their progress.” Cato looked at Alex, assigning him the mission silently.
“Awww. Come on, it’s their stupid forest,” Alex whined, but truthfully he looked forward to his trips away from the Chakra and everyone knew it.
I dismissed Alex’s comment and turned to Cato. “How do you pinpoint the areas that give off that much energy?”
Cato studied me for a moment. “Perhaps that is something I can teach you. I didn’t realize Gaias could recognize such a place at a distance. We’ll put you to good use while you are, well – incapacitated, as you are.”
I opened my mouth, ready to protest.
He put up a hand to stop me. “But that is a conversation for another time. Right now we need to discuss today’s inspection.”